How to Grow in your Faith

You can’t be a Christian without faith.

But faith is like a mustard seed that starts out small but grows with time.

Every Christian wants more faith. I’m years into my walk with the Lord and I still catch myself weak in faith. You’d think I’d trust Him fully by now, but I often find myself still chewing on a sippy cup when it comes to faith matters.

Not too long ago I started to work out. I mean really work out – not just running, or biking, but honest to God core strengthening serious working out. It’s not as easy as it sounds but I’m getting better! As I’ve considered my progress, I’ve learned 4 things from working out that will help you understand how to grow your faith:

1. You’ve got to mix it up. You can’t just do the exact same exercise every single day or you’re going to find some serious imbalance in muscle size. Some days I work on my arms, other days I strengthen my gluts (that’s a good word to use in a blog), and still other days I work on my abs. It’s the same when it comes to faith matters. God uses a whole variety of ways to grow your faith. He uses people. He uses circumstances. He uses His word and preachers and prayer and Bible studies. He keeps mixing it up and that’s a good thing.

2. You’ve got to do lots of reps. I hate reps, but they’re a must for anyone looking to get seriously toned. One rep of triceps curls won’t help you look like Halle Berry, but throw a series of reps in the mix, and you’ve got yourself Betty White with some serious def. It’s the same when it comes to your faith. Prayer is not a one time thing. Reading your Bible is not an occasional activity. In order for your faith muscles to grow, you’ve got to commit to regular reps over the long haul. It’s the only way to grow.

3. You’ve got to give it time. At the end of my first week of core training I remember feeling frustrated that no one noticed I’d been working out. The truth is that I’m a couple of months into it and there are still days no one can tell. But just you wait. I’m going to give it another year and you’ll be confusing me with Arnold. The point is this: don’t judge the outcome too soon. Faith grows gradually over time. Let it.

4. It helps to get a trainer. If you’ve hung around me at all in the last few weeks, you’ve heard me talk about Monika. I’d be lost without Monika. She tells me what to do and when to do it. She encourages me when I feel like nothing is changing, and she does her share of yelling when I’m not moving. I am so thankful for Monika and consider her the number one reason I’ve stuck to this work out program. God has a Monika for your spiritual growth. She may also known as your Small Group leader! If you don’t have one, ask God to provide a Monika for you!

Next time you see me, don’t hesitate to comment on the size of my triceps.

Meanwhile, why don’t you get your own faith a work out program?

Related posts: