Growing Your Faith

August 31

“He grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God.” In this short sentence, St. Paul reveals the source of Abraham’s endurance in the face of disappointments and challenges the likes of which would have felled lesser men.

I’ve heard people pray like the father of the epileptic boy who responded to Jesus’ challenge that all things were possible to him who believes: “I believe help my unbelief!” I’ve even prayed that prayer a few times myself, but often without much increase in the faith department. Perhaps it’s because I’ve neglected the second half of Paul’s statement: “as he gave glory to God.” When my faith is weak and I’m struggling to locate God in the swirl of events and emotions, I’m not usually giving much glory to God. Like Peter, the storm has a way of diverting my focus from Jesus to the waves that are engulfing me. 

But Scripture is quite clear on the matter. It was as he gave glory to God that his faith increased. Not as he prayed or sang or listened to a sermon. It was as he made the choice to glorify God even if he could see no way out of his dilemma, when he praised God even if he was afraid, confused, or discouraged. It really works! There is just one caveat: we can praise God in the storm, but we can’t praise God if we’re harboring some secret sin in our hearts. We must be clean before God; not perfect, but clean—“confessed” up and open. I am thankful tonight for these little phrases of Scripture that occasionally leap from the page to challenge and correct me, and even help me grow stronger in my faith as I follow its directive.