Growing in Faith: Building A Stronger Connection With God

Just like a dedicated gardener who diligently grows seeds until they become strong and healthy plants, God grows our faith throughout our lives.

But how does our faith grow? Here Global Disciples Canada shares some ways:

John 20:31 tells us that there is a reason the Bible exists. God preserved His Word in the Bible so that it could guide us and help our faith grow. Our faith starts to grow when we plant the ideas and promises of God as seeds in our very hearts. Plant the truth about what God is like and how His love results in all the marvelous things around us. Just as water and fertilizers nourish plants, the Word nourishes our faith. 

When you are trying to grow plants, you must water them daily. Similarly, you can grow your faith when you commit to reading and learning God’s Word daily. It may be the first thing you do when you wake up or the last thing you read before bedtime. Remember, consistency can help strengthen your faith.

Hebrews 11:8 says, “By faith, Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” 

This teaches us that Abraham did not only use his faith to think according to God’s will but to act in obedience. That’s the kind of faith you want – a belief that moves you to act in accordance with God’s will, to follow His Word with no questions asked.  

When your faith moves you enough to take action, you are following in the footsteps of Jesus. So remember to act with love, forgiveness, and mercy in mind. Always keep in mind how your faith can affect all aspects of your life. For example, how do you apply faith to your career, raising children, and your hobbies?

Practice deliberately asking God for guidance at every step of the day. In many of these moments, you may not hear specific guidance from Him in the day-to-day activities, but the discipline of constantly asking Him is not about getting an answer first before you do an activity; rather, it is about tuning your spiritual ear to His voice, so that you hear it when it does matter. The more you practice this, the stronger your faith will be. 

In Luke 17:5-6, “the apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!'” Jesus replied by telling them that the tiniest amount of faith (a mustard seed, which is a minute seed), can achieve impossible tasks (even moving a mountain). Because faith is something God gives us and grows in us, we do not need to be caught up in discussions of how large our faith is. The more important question is whether we are living in the faith God has given us. 

You’ll also find that by putting your trust in the Lord during the harshest storms in your life, your faith will grow. It is these hardships that can strengthen you and your faith that will get you through those trials. 

In the book of James, the churches are encouraged to “consider it pure joy” when we face trials because we understand that “testing your faith develops perseverance.” (James 1:2-3)

When we go through tough times, it can be difficult to see the silver lining. However, the book of James tells us that we should consider it pure joy when we face trials because we know that they will help us to grow in our faith.

When our faith is tested, it gives us an opportunity to persevere. And as we persevere, our faith will grow stronger. So, even though trials may be difficult at the moment, we can take comfort in knowing that they are helping us to grow closer to God.

God created humans for serving: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10).

As Christians, we believe that God created humans for a purpose. We are his masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus so that we can do the good things he has planned for us.

God has given us each unique gifts and talents so that we can serve him and others. When we use our gifts to serve others, we are glorifying God and fulfilling our purpose.

Service is not always easy, but it is always worth it. It is an act of love and a way to show others the love of Christ. When we serve others, we are showing them that we care about them and that we are willing to put their needs above our own.

Hebrews 10:24-25 says,

“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together… but let us encourage one another…”

If you are looking for ways to serve others, there are many opportunities available. You can volunteer at your local church or at a local charity. You can also reach out to your friends and family members to see if they need help with anything.

No matter how you choose to serve, know that you are making a difference in the lives of others and in the world.

When serving others, it can be easy to become exhausted and even dejected. The constant need for love and care can, at times, seem overwhelming. While it is important for everyone who serves to take times of rest where they can replenish their strength, you will find that the faith God gives you can give you strength to keep going longer than those without faith. God fills us with supernatural strength and patience, as reflected in Isaiah 40:31: 

“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Faith needs to be an all-encompassing part of your life. Faith is not just a nice word to say to make yourself feel more holy; it is an active, powerful tool for you to use as you pursue a life focused on Christ. Whether your faith is small or large, learning to use it for God’s glory is a challenging and wonderful experience that you can enjoy throughout your life.

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near to reach least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet, Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today! Our Christian missionaries are waiting for you!