Help My Unbelief: Growing Living Faith

In a previous post Exploring the Nuances of Living Faith and Saving Faith we looked at the two different kinds of Christian faith. This new understanding sheds light on a father's cry for Jesus to heal his son, "Lord, I believe; Help my unbelief!" How can he believe and have unbelief at the same time?

This picture reminds me of Jesus calling to Peter to walk on water.

In this story found in Mark 9:23-25 Jesus says, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." I have always understood, based on this story, that faith grows--much like the tiny mustard seed (Matthew 13:31-21). This interaction also reassured me that my faith didn't have to be perfect in order for God to move in my life. But, the story of this short yet powerful interaction tells us more. This man's tearful cry for Jesus to heal his son highlights how Christians can be so strong in their belief in the saving power of Jesus (saving faith), and yet so weak in their daily walk, or in living that faith.

So, how do we, as Christians, ensure that we are "living by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7)?

Growing Living Faith

If "living faith is the day-to-day expression of a believer's faith through actions and obedience to God's commandments," then we must "be doers of the word, and not hearers only" (James 1:22). Sometimes this means choosing the hard path in life. A quick review of a few Bible stories will reveal this truth:

• Noah - preached salvation for 120 years as he built a boat that no one but his family and the animals that God sent would board.

• Abraham - left the comfort of his home town to wonder in hostile territory; was willing to sacrifice his only son (the son of promise).

• Joseph - worked his way up from a slave and prisoner to second in command of Egypt; saved the brothers, that sold him into slavery, from famine.

• Moses - left Pharoah's palace to eventually lead God's people out of bondage; wondered the wilderness with them for 40 years.

These examples, and others (see Hebrews 11 for more), endured decades of hardship because they believed God's promises - because they believed in something beyond the 'here and now'. Growing living faith requires embracing change and facing challenges. Like Abraham, we might not understand the call to leave a place of comfort. Like Noah, we may be given a message that will be poorly received. Like Joseph, we can decided that in spite of the evil done to us that we will faithfully live by God's commands no matter the consequences in this life.

Growing faith requires the discomfort of uncertainty. Faith demands that we trust in a God that we cannot see. We have to trust him not only with our eternal salvation, but also with our everyday decisions. Faith requires sacrifice. Moses had to sacrifice his comfortable life as a shepherd in Midian to answer God's call to lead his people out of bondage.

Would you live for Him?

No doubt, these men believed in a powerful, good God. And, for the most part, they lived their lives to reflect that belief. Many of us Christians will claim the salvation offered by Jesus through The Cross, but we fall short of claiming the power of God over our daily lives! It's as if our faith begins and ends on Calvary.

There is a question, often posed to men with regard to their families, "You say you would die for them, but would you live for them?" This question is meant to provoke reflection on daily choices. We often think of virtues like love and faith as grand gestures. But, most of us will never be called to die for our families or Christ. So then, how is love and faith best demonstrated? In the small acts of daily life. Its demonstrated in selfless service and sacrifice to others and to God.

If we continue to use family life as an example, a husband and/or father is called to more than potentially jumping in front of a bullet for the people he loves. He is also called to provide a healthy environment for those in his care. He should work to support his family financially - providing a home, food, clothing, etc. This socially acceptable way of providing can require some personal sacrifice, but that is not all that a man is called to provide--there is more to a healthy environment than what you see around you, the stuff that money can buy.

The question, "Would you live for them?" is asking who you consider, or prioritize, when you make everyday choices. For example, are you thinking, "I have had a long day at work, so I deserve to..." Or are you thinking, "S/he has worked all day, so how can I serve them or improve their day?" Or maybe, "The kids would enjoy/need...how can I make that happen?" The healthy environment that both husbands and wives are called to provide includes social and emotional wellbeing. You have to be "other-focused" to build connections.

Faith Requires Sacrifice

We must prioritize our relationship with God in order to grow our faith. Much like we need to be other-focused to grow relationships with others, we must be "God focused" to deepen our relationship with God. Prioritizing others will require us to give up, or sacrifice, some of the things that we want in consideration of the other person, or because we know what will bring them joy. Again, you may be tired after work, but you know that spending time with your kids, or doing the task your spouse asked, will demonstrate love and care. So, you give up a little time with your feet up to make it happen.

Likewise, we have to prioritize time with God and doing the things that bring him joy to develop our relationship with him. The children's song that says, "Read your Bible, pray everyday, so you'll grow, grow, grow" comes to mind. The Bible is an important way that God speaks to us. Prayer is a way for us to speak to God. And, we all know that communication is important to growing a relationship!

Matthew 16:24 says, "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'" We read here that a relationship with him requires certain sacrifices (denying yourself) AND that there will be burdens, or hardships, to bear (taking up your cross). This self-denial can range from sacrificing a little sleep or TV time to prioritize your devotional time, to God calling you to serve in a mission field, to martyrdom.

In Luke 14:25-33 Jesus tells us to "count the cost" of discipleship. Salvation is a free gift, but living like you have accepted that gift is not free. It will cost you everything! The only way to successfully live the life of discipleship is through faith--daily living faith. Christians need to claim the power of God to work in their daily lives through faith--you need to make it personal.

Who would want to live that kind of life?

Jesus also says, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head" (Luke 9:57-62). If you consider the events of "Passion week" then Jesus not having a home of his own seems like the least of our worries! But, when you understand the treasure that Christ offers us in return, it is worth it (Matthew 13:44-46)!

Christians should understand that a life of faithful sacrifice to the will of God is more than a fair trade! Paul says in Romans 8:18, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

Speaking of The Passion of Christ, it is called "passion" because of the immense love for us that was demonstrated by Jesus's sacrifice. We love God because he "first loved us" (1 John 4:19), and we are called to sacrifice for a God that first sacrificed himself for us:

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:3-8 ESV).

Leap of Faith

Faith is not blind. Hebrews 11: 1 says, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see" (NIV). We can see evidence of a loving and powerful Father. But, that doesn't mean we understand everything. Stepping out, or even leaping out, in faith is about believing that God doesn't just work on behalf of mankind, but that he works in my life and my circumstance. Faith is living in the assurance that God has a good plan even if you do not see it. That like Joseph you will live a life of faithfulness knowing that what others intend for evil God will turn it for good (Genesis 50:20)!

So, how do we grow our faith from unbelief to belief?

Into the unknown with confidence and assurance! We might not understand why God leads where he does...but faith says, "I trust in God's character and plan even if I don't see where it will take me."

Abraham was a nomad in Canaan. He did live in the promised land of Canaan and had one son, Isaac. However, he did not see his descendants become a great nation and inherit the land as God promised. Abraham himself did not see God's promise fully realized during his lifetime.  But, he left a trail of altars that no doubt evangelized the region.

God didn't spell it out for him that all his wonderings where meant for evangelism. Abraham still followed God's lead. God didn't give him details about how he would have only one son in his old age--that he would not father a great family let alone a great nation in his lifetime. Yet, Abraham took action and Isaac was born to 100 year-old parents (Genesis 21:5). God didn't tell him that he would provide a substitute sacrifice for Isaac when he told Abraham to sacrifice his only son of promise. But, Abraham traveled for three days and held the knife over his son in obedience (Genesis 22)!

Faithful In The Little Things

Abraham is one of the many people in the "Hall of Faith" (Hebrews 11) because he faithfully allowed God to lead in small ways that grew the faith he would need for the big moments. So, if you want to grow your faith, start by being faithful in the little things of daily living (Luke 16:10).