Growing Through Faith

Article 7 of 13 in the Walking with Jesus Series

Is faith something you either have or you do not? Many people speak of faith as a fixed quantity - as though some people are simply born with it and others are not. But Scripture presents a very different picture. Faith is living and dynamic. It grows. It deepens. It is strengthened through use and through trial, and it can also weaken through neglect. The question is not whether you have enough faith. The question is whether you are in the relationship that produces it.

The disciples, who had walked with Jesus and witnessed His miracles, still had faith that needed to grow. Jesus spoke of faith as small as a mustard seed that could move mountains (Matthew 17:20). He rebuked His disciples for little faith (Matthew 8:26) and commended others for great faith (Matthew 15:28). Clearly, faith exists on a spectrum and is capable of development.

Paul prayed for the Thessalonians that their faith would grow:

Faith that grows exceedingly is the goal. Not a faith that merely survives but one that deepens and expands over the course of a lifetime.

Paul's imagery in Colossians 2:6-7 is rich. He uses two metaphors simultaneously: roots (agricultural) and building (architectural). Both speak of a foundation that goes deep and a structure that rises over time.

The image of roots is instructive. A tree with deep roots can withstand storms that would topple a shallow-rooted one. The believer whose faith is deeply rooted in Christ - in the knowledge of His character, in the experience of His faithfulness - will stand when the storms come. The believer whose faith is shallow and untested will be shaken.

Roots grow downward in the dark, out of sight. Much of the most important growth in the Christian life happens in the hidden places - in the quiet hours of prayer and Scripture reading, in the private wrestling with doubt and difficulty, in the unseen choices to trust God when circumstances argue against it.

The building metaphor adds the idea of progressive construction. A building is not completed in a day. It rises course by course, each layer resting on the one below. Spiritual maturity is built the same way - one act of trust upon another, one experience of God's faithfulness upon another, until the structure is strong and stable.

The writer of Hebrews devotes an entire chapter to the heroes of faith - men and women who trusted God in circumstances that gave no visible reason for trust. Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses - each of them is described as acting on the basis of what God had promised rather than what they could see:

Abraham left his homeland without knowing where he was going (Hebrews 11:8). He offered his son on the altar, trusting that God could raise the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19). His faith was not diminished by these trials. It was deepened by them.

Peter describes the same process:

The testing of faith is not a sign that something has gone wrong. It is the means by which genuine faith is proved and strengthened. Gold is not purified by being kept safe. It is purified by fire.

Faith does not grow in a vacuum. It grows through contact with the Word of God:

The person who wants their faith to grow must spend time in Scripture. Not merely reading it as a duty but meditating on it, allowing it to shape their understanding of who God is and what He has done. Every promise received and trusted, every account of God's faithfulness absorbed and believed, adds to the foundation on which faith rests.

The Bereans were commended because they received the word with readiness and searched the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11). This daily engagement with Scripture is not optional for the growing believer. It is the primary means by which faith is nourished and strengthened.

The most encouraging thing about the growth of faith is that it is ultimately God's project, not ours. He is the author and finisher of our faith:

The word translated "author" is the Greek archegos, meaning originator, pioneer, or captain. The word translated "finisher" is teleiotes, meaning one who brings to completion. Jesus both begins and completes the work of faith in the believer. Our part is to keep looking to Him - to keep coming to Him, to keep trusting Him with the next thing that requires trust.

Paul expresses the same confidence:

• "And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith." (Luke 17:5, KJV)
• "Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." (Mark 9:23-24, KJV)
• "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:17, KJV)
• "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13, KJV)
• "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." (Romans 15:13, KJV)

"If my faith were strong enough, I would never doubt." The greatest heroes of faith in Scripture experienced doubt. John the Baptist doubted from prison (Matthew 11:3). Thomas doubted the resurrection (John 20:25). The father in Mark 9 cried out "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." Doubt is not the absence of faith. It is often the companion of it. What matters is what you do with the doubt - whether you bring it to God or let it drive you away from Him.

"Faith means believing without evidence." Hebrews 11:1 says faith is the "evidence of things not seen" - it is itself a form of evidence, grounded in the testimony of God. The Christian faith is not a leap in the dark. It is trust in a Person whose character has been demonstrated in history, in Scripture, and in the experience of millions of believers across the centuries.

"Spiritual growth happens automatically over time." Time in the church does not automatically produce spiritual maturity. Paul rebuked the Hebrews for being immature despite the time they had had to grow (Hebrews 5:12). Growth requires intentional engagement with the means of grace - the Word, prayer, community, and the exercise of faith in daily life.

"My faith is too small to matter." Jesus said that faith as small as a mustard seed could move mountains (Matthew 17:20). The size of the faith is not what matters. What matters is the object of the faith. A small faith in a great God is sufficient. The issue is not the quantity of your faith but the reliability of the One you are trusting.

1. Exercise your faith. Faith grows through use. Trust God with something that requires trust. Pray for something that only He can accomplish. Obey when obedience is costly. Each act of faith strengthens the capacity for the next.

2. Feed your faith on Scripture. Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Set aside regular time for Scripture reading and meditation. Let the promises of God become familiar to you so that you can draw on them in moments of trial.

3. Do not despise small beginnings. The mustard seed is the smallest of seeds, but it becomes a great tree. Do not be discouraged by the smallness of your faith. Bring what you have to God and ask Him to increase it (Luke 17:5).

4. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Hebrews 12:2 says to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of faith. When faith is weak, the remedy is not to look inward at the weakness but outward at the One who is the source and sustainer of faith.

1. Read Hebrews 11:1-40. Choose three of the people mentioned and identify the specific act of faith for which each is commended. What did each of them trust God for that they could not see?

2. Read Colossians 2:6-7. Paul uses the imagery of roots and a building. What does each image suggest about the nature of spiritual growth? What does it mean to be "rooted" in Christ?

3. Read Mark 9:14-29. The father says "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." What does this prayer tell you about the relationship between faith and doubt? How did Jesus respond to this mixed faith?

4. Read Philippians 1:6. Paul says he is "confident" that God will complete the work He has begun. What is the basis of this confidence? How does this assurance affect the way you approach your own spiritual growth?

5. In what specific area of your life do you most need your faith to grow right now? What practical step could you take this week to exercise faith in that area?

• The New Birth - Article 6 in this series
• Surrender and Consecration - Article 8 in this series
• The Study of God's Word - Article 11 in this series

Primary passages: Colossians 2:6-7; Hebrews 11:1-40; Philippians 1:6

Supporting passages: Matthew 8:26; Matthew 15:28; Matthew 17:20; Mark 9:23-24; Luke 17:5; Romans 1:17; Romans 10:17; Romans 15:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; Hebrews 5:12; Hebrews 12:2; 1 Peter 1:7; Acts 17:11

Recommended reading:

• Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, Chapter 10: "A Knowledge of God" (Review and Herald, 1892)
• George Müller, Autobiography of George Müller (various editions) - a remarkable account of faith exercised in practice
• Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (1927), entries on faith and growth

Do you have a question about growing in faith? Ask it here - your question may become our next article.

This article was adapted from the themes presented in the classic devotional book Steps to Christ. To access the original book, please click here.