Why is my faith not strong enough? How can I develop my faith? These are a few questions about faith that many believers try to cope with, most of the time secretly because it sounds like saying they are sick if people discover their wavering or weak faith. My brother, my sister, faith is a gift that God gives to all of us to believe in Him and in Jesus Christ. If you did not have faith, you would not have accepted Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8). Therefore, the gift is already in you! Now, let’s understand that, as much as new born babies grow to become adults, because they have parents to care for them and because they learn from their own mistakes in this process, the faith God has given you needs to grow too through your unavoidable fellowship with other Christians and your meditation of the Word and learning from your mistakes, etc.
The Bible says faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Therefore, for your faith to grow, you first have to remove your eyes on things you can see, and set them on things above, things above your reach, things above your nose… in other words, set your eyes on things that seem impossible for you to reach. Why? Because God does not act on things we can reach or do by our own means. And for Him to act, we need to display faith in Him. That is the reason why we are told that “without faith, no one can please God” (Hebrews 11:6).
Having said, this, how do we develop faith then? The first element of our answer is that we first need to develop courage, because courage is the ability to do something that frightens us. So, if your faith is strong, you will also be strong and courageous. God cannot ask us for something without equipping us: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7). So, if your faith is weak, you will also lack the courage you need to stand strong as a child of God. Joshua is one example we can look at as a courageous believer who had faith in God, and above all we know where his courage comes from. Read Joshua 1:1-9. How many times did God command Joshua to be strong and courageous in this passage? And God promised to be with him and make him prosperous and successful as He does what? (Joshua 1: 8).
My friend, Joshua’s strong faith resulted in the courage to overcome his fears. May be you have heard or done so many negative things in your past that you still believe in them. It’s time you buried the past and started believing in the unseen, which is: the Lord is with you always, everywhere and His is acting in your life even if you don’t see it. That’s faith! Where there is faith, there is no fear: ‘Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26). Where there is faith, there is no doubt: “You of little faith, he said, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). Where there is faith, there is no worry about things of this life (Matthew 6:28-30). My friend, knowing the origin of a problem is already finding its solution. No one but yourself can decide to have a stronger faith. The Word has come to you today, and, if it is talking to you, do not harden your heart. Yes, because of your faith, you will become courageous, and you will no longer be afraid to obey God, you will no longer doubt the Lord, and you will no longer worry about the necessities of life. My friend, keep strong and courageous and may this Word you have heard today strengthen your faith in the name of Jesus. Stay blessed in Jesus’ name.