Growing in Faith

When trials come my way, how I respond to them reveals how much I know God—or how much more I need to know Him. This tells me that when I feel overwhelmed, it is a red flag  that I need to know God even more. I need to be daily growing in the knowledge of God so when trials come I will be like Moses, and the tree in Jeremiah 17,  at peace in the midst of discouraging circumstances because I know my God is an ever present help in times of trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

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The way we grow in our faith is by being in the Word. This is the best thing we can do to grow in our knowledge of God and face trials with confidence.

“According to the Barna Research Group [1997 data], those who read the Bible regularly spend about 52 minutes a week in the Scriptures.” 1 If a person spends 52 minutes a week in the Bible, how much time is that each day? About seven and a half minutes, less time than a person spends watching commercials in an average 30-minute television show.”Sweeter Than Chocolate: An Inductive Study of Psalm 119 pg. 6. 

If the average Christian spends only 7 minutes a day in the Word, it’s no wonder why so many Christians don’t experience the same peace and security in the face of trials as they do their eternal salvation. It’s hard to know anyone in just 7 minutes a day, and it's even harder to trust someone if you don't know them well enough.  God wants us to trust in Him with all our heart, leaning not on our own understanding Him, but acknowledgeing Him in all our ways. (Proverbs 3:5-6) That’s the standard. That’s how much God wants us to trust Him.

If I want to grow in my trust in the Lord, I can't expect that spending the bare minimum of time with God is going to be enough for me to know Him so intimately,  as Paul did that I, too, could say regarding my trials, "None of these things move me." (Acts 20:24) This is my heart's desire. To face trials with such peace and confidence, that none of my circumstances would move me from trusting God and resting in His promises to provide and deliver.

So when we trust in the Lord, despite how our circumstances look, one of the rewards for our faith, is that we will be like the amazing tree in Jeremiah 17:8:

• Planted by streams of water
• Never fearing when heat comes
• It’s leaves always remaining green 
• Not anxious in the year of drought
• Never ceasing from yielding fruit 

Though we don't see God, through His Word we can see countless examples of His loving kindness, His faithfulness to provide, and His deliverance for those in need. With each instance we read, our faith is strengthened. When trials come, we can look at those examples we’ve seen through the scriptures and be encouraged that since God helped them, He will surely help us too. Though we typically don't audibly hear God,  through His Word we can hear His heart and His plans for us. No where else, but reading and studying the Bible can we know God so intimately, and be so strengthened in our faith and knowledge of God. If we desire to have a unshakeable faith, regularly being in God’s Word is a must.

So how do we do it? Where do we start? I'll explore these questions in Friday's post.

Question for you: How do you spend your time with God? 
 

P.S. I've added a recommended resources page chocked full of great biblical resources that have enriched my spiritual growth, strengthened my faith, and helped me in my life and roles as a wife and mother. Enjoy! 

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Copyright © 2011 Brooke Espinoza.