5 ways to grow in your faith

We have to be intentional if we want to grow in our faith. Below are 5 practical ways to help strengthen and develop our faith.

PhotographerL Anna Felicia

Model: Sienna Raine from Linden Staub

Stylist: Bethany Cookson

Hair & Make-up: Mihaela Angela

1. Listen

What you hear and choose to listen to changes you. Apostle Paul says in his letter to the Roman Church: ‘faith comes from hearing the message’ (Romans 10:17).

The more of God’s word we hear, the more our faith in Him grows. If you wish to grow in your faith, listen to messages and sermons about Jesus. Over time your faith will become stronger - and you’ll begin to see yourself change.

2. Read

‘Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counsellors, and the most patient of teachers.’ 

This is a profound quote by Charles William Eliot. If we can gain so much from regular books, how much more can we get from the Bible (and even from books based on the Bible). We can learn so much about the Christian faith by reading the Bible. As our knowledge increases, so does our faith. Reading God’s word is incredibly important, so much so that we see God Himself telling Joshua to meditate on the word constantly.

‘Keep this book of the law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful’ (Joshua 1:8).

When we read and meditate on the Bible, our perception of God changes. We get to know His character and our faith in Him is impacted.

 ‘Prayer changes you.’

3. Pray

Prayer changes things. Even more profound, prayer changes you. Prayer is an act of faith. To speak to a God you cannot see requires a great deal of faith. I have also realised that the more I pray, the more my faith increases. In our relationships with one another, the more we communicate, the closer we become, and the more we trust each other. The same can be said of our relationship with God. If you wish to grow in your faith, speak to God more.

4. Fellowship

‘As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another’ (Proverbs 27:17). Gathering together with other believers can help to build our faith. We can learn from each other, and be corrected and instructed in God’s word. In doing so, our faith increases. We all need each other to grow even in our faith. 

The writer of the book of Hebrews in the Bible puts it this way: ‘…Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day approaching’ (Hebrews 10:25). Fellowshipping with others - in church services, or over dinner, coffee or Zoom - is a sure way of growing in our faith.

‘True faith shows itself through our actions.’

5. Act 

True faith shows itself through our actions. Faith has to do with our beliefs and every person lives by what they believe in. We are moved by our convictions. So, if we claim to have faith then it must be seen in our actions. In a letter to the Jewish believers, Jesus’ disciple James reminds them of this fact. ‘…In the same way, faith by itself if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.’ (James 2:17).

Our actions are not only the real evidence of our faith - they are also a means of developing it. Taking risks, speaking out for justice, pursuing our calling - these things are acts of faith and conviction, but they also grow our faith. The more we act on what we believe, and see God with us as we step out, the more our faith grows.

WORDS BY 

Onome Beberi