The Christian journey is founded on faith and lived in faith.
There’s this thing in my life that I continue to pray over, wait on, and hope for. And it’s kind of a big deal. Something to give God glory in and for.
Meanwhile, I often teeter between excitement and feeling a bit overwhelmed.
So, I sometimes smile in anticipation. Or, I jump up and down on the inside when I imagine the possibility of it happening.
Then, only moments later, a knot forms in the pit of my stomach wondering what if never happens?
This thing required I take a leap of faith. And I’m learning these leaps should be the “norm” for believers. But we often hesitate about stepping into the unknown. Still, Hebrews 11:1 defines it exactly that way:
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (NIV)
Faith is not a receive-it-all-at-once deal. Because the confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see, grows and strengthens while we live out our Christian lives on this earth.
God uses our circumstances today, whatever tomorrow brings, the things we pray over, wait on, and hope for, to cultivate a mature #faith in us. #FaithInGod @FridayKaren Click To TweetHere are 5 ways to cultivate an unstoppable F-A-I-T-H:
F – Find God faithful.
We come to God in faith, believing He is Creator and Lord, and accepting His salvation by faith through Jesus Christ. This faith continues in our life as we find God faithful and learn He always fulfills His promises.
Hebrews 11, often called the Hall of Faith, showcases the men and women who not only found God faithful, but who also acted on the Lord’s promises even though they died before receiving many of the things promised.
A – Acknowledge who God is.
“Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.” — Oswald Chambers
We must trust Who God is…the sum total of His attributes. Yet, sometimes we only concentrate on the feel-good parts of God’s character. Such as God is love, merciful, and good.
And all those characteristics are absolutely true about God. But He is also holy, just, the one true judge, in control, on His throne, the only God, and sovereign—reigns over all things. Every one of these aspects are what make God, God.
We deny God’s full Lordship when we only celebrate one aspect of His character.
I – Imitate Jesus.
When we look at the life and ministry of Jesus, we see faith in how He obeyed and glorified the heavenly Father, performed miracles, surrendered to God’s plan, and spoke of God’s laws and commands. Also, He ministered to people’s needs in the middle of their ordinary days.
Obtaining great faith on the Christian journey is not spiritual extra credit. Instead, it’s the process of how we mature as a believer in the middle of ordinary days, in all our todays and tomorrows.
“Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible.” — Corrie ten boom
T – Trust without hesitation.
Our job as a Christ-follower is to trust God’s power, ways, and purposes. And God’s job is everything else. He does the heavy-lifting.
The thing I mentioned in the introduction? God continues to remind me that His timing really is perfect; His plans for me are always for my good and His glory.
Those things we continue to wait on and hope for all have a purpose to increase our faith, not decrease it.
Even hardships that test our faith lead to steadfastness (James 1:2-4). Enduring these trials is what God uses to pull us closer to himself and grow our trust.
H – Hold on to truth.
Nothing anchors our faith more than a God who is trustworthy and true to His Word.
Sometimes our own thoughts, the enemy, or other people trick our heart into thinking God is holding out on us.
Maybe a prayer went unanswered in how we wanted the situation to turn out. Perhaps we feel God didn’t come through for us in what we wished for or wanted to happen.
Our circumstances should never dictate our faith, but grow our faith. In everything, we hold firmly on to God’s truth.
Because God is trustworthy, we can trust Him with our todays and all our tomorrows.
Unstoppable Faith
- F – Find God faithful.
- A – Acknowledge who God is.
- I – Imitate Jesus.
- T – Trust without Hesitation.
- H – Hold on to truth.
Which part of unstoppable F-A-I-T-H stood out to you?
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I loved this: “Faith is not a receive-it-all-at-once deal. ” Or, as you said later on, extra credit–rather, it’s something God continues to grow in us. Thanks for these ways to grow and strengthen our faith.
Barbara, I finally learned this lesson about how God intends to grow our faith in whatever our circumstances may be at the time. And it only happens if we know He is trustworthy!
Hey Karen, happy Wednesday! I love this quote by Corrie ten boom, “Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible.” Thanks for hosting and for the encouragement!
Hi Jed, isn’t that a powerful quote?! It really brings Hebrews 11:1 to light and alive in our hearts! I pray to gain this kind of faith!
Thanks for this faith building post. Like you, I waver between excitement over future joys and anxiety over the prospect of disappointment. He is faithful even when I am not!
Yes, Michele, unstoppable faith always trusts in an unstopple AND faithful God!
I’m so thankful we can trust God with all our tomorrows. It helps me make it through today with less anxiety. Thanks, Karen.
Me too, Lisa. Knowing God’s full character displayed in the Bible and in our lives confirms He is not holding out on us. Instead, He always has our best interest in mind and is a God we can trust.
I love how every bit of this brings us back to God and His character. So often I make things about me, but when I look at who He is things go much better!
That’s good insight, Rebecca. We do often make even spiritual things about us, when it has everything to do with God and His work in our lives!
Karen, “His plans for me are always for my good and His glory.” Trust without hesitation stood out to me. I tend to want to see how they are going to work out. So I’m afraid I do hesitate as I work through to remind myself, He is still on the throne, despite how things look.
Knowing God is still on His throne is indeed a powerful and comforting thought, Debbie. Oh, how many times I wanted to see on down the road. Yet, it’s hindsight that really builds our faith, because we see how faithful God is throughout the process.
Loved this post – acrostics are special favorites of mine.
I think you hit the nail on the head when you said His timing is perfect. We think it would be great today but He knows it’s so much better tomorrow!
Thanks, Jerralea. Waiting on God is never the place we enjoy. Still, since He is Creator, He knows best how to manage our lives and He knows what both today and tomorrow need to look like.
I love your faith acronym. On point.
Thanks, Lauren. I pray to have each of the steps in my FAITH. 🙂
I love this acronym, Karen, thank you! Also, it’s so helpful to see faith as something that grows, not just a “have” or “have not!”
I like that, Bethany…faith is not just a have or have not, but something we are intentional to seek and let God grow in us.
I appreciate your way of breaking down God’s word and how to apply, Karen! The faith acronym is helpful in keeping God’s promises in the forefront of my days.