By Ann Star
FAITH is vital for a Christian. It doesn’t matter if you are a new Christian or have been a Christian for many years. Faith is something that needs to be strengthened because it not only keeps us close to God but close to everyone around us. Our lives are journeys and with those journeys we need to stay close to God. He asks us to stand firm in faith and to rely on Him. Faith is a powerful tool that helps us to continue our lives for God and to seek His Kingdom.
So, to keep your faith strong and effective, there are things you and I can do that will make this happen such as reading God’s Word. Keep in mind, from the Bible come these words, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). God gave us His Bible so that we could learn more about Him and His Son Jesus so that we can continue our journey in faith in Him. When you read the Bible daily, your faith will strengthen and our relationship with Him will grow.
The next important step towards a stronger faith is to pray. Prayer is your special time when you can talk with God and reveal your heart to Him. It doesn’t matter if your topic is sad, gloomy, scary or on the other hand, positive and happy. He wants to hear what you have to say because He loves and cares for you. When you talk to God every day, you will develop a stronger relationship with Him and create and a stronger trust in how He can protect and guide you. He wants to hear how you are doing so that He can give you additional guidance and help. Of course, you can’t see God, but you can feel His presence and that is what matters with a relationship with God.
It is also important to be in fellowship with others. Strengthening your faith can be difficult at time but with support from other Christians, you can have support from them and you can also support them, too. Whenever possible, perhaps once the virus is on the way out, go to church and join a Bible study, share the Gospel with others or help someone in need. Helping a person in need doesn’t have to be in person; it can come in the form of a phone call, a text message, or in a prayer or helping someone in need.
Look around you. Even with the virus going on–especially with a virus going on as now, there are things you can do without actually meeting face-to-face. If you see your neighbor out and you know that maybe they aren’t feeling well–you know this by talking to them on the phone, or a relative who is lonely and would love to hear you on the phone or by a text, then do it! Always be safe, of course when a virus is going on but by a text or phone call or even a wave and a smile, you can brighten a person’s day and give them hope. So much can brighten a day with just a smile!
Keep in mind; faith cannot be effective without trust. it is vital to trust God in every area of our lives. We must rely on Him instead of ourselves and others. At times, it can be difficult to trust God but God is the only one who can get us through the deep and dark valleys of life. The most important thing I can share with you is our faith cannot grow unless we trust in God completely. Trust God in every area of your life and you will add building blocks to Him that will lead to peace, love, and a virtual stepping ladder that will bring you closer to Him.
So, the takeaway from this article is to read your Bible, pray, trust and then put your faith to work! When you do this, you will reap a reward of love, peace and joy and that is something no one can take away from you.
Faith is the key to God, peace and joy.
It is for every girl and boy.
So, put your faith in God for all you do.
And, soon you will not be blue.
Ann Star is a freelance writer.
