What Makes Faith Firm?

Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm.” [Isaiah 7.9b]

We DO have a role in believing God.

What is it that makes faith firm? This may be one of the best questions I have asked for some time!

Jesus spoke of faith as a mustard seed, so let's go with that comparison...

Every seed needs water. The seed needs to be buried and it needs water. Although, once buried, we cannot see the seed, we water it anyway.

Jesus spoke of Himself as Living Water. Jesus is also identified as the Living Word. The apostle Paul furthermore said this:

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. [Romans 10.17]

So, like water makes the tiny mustard seed grow, the Word of God makes faith grow.

Another thing that should not be overlooked here is that sunlight is necessary for a plant to grow strong. Consider what John wrote:

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. [1 John 1.5]

Along with the Word, the Living Water, our faith needs the radiance of God's presence - His Light. Normal plants that are starved of light are never strong - they are never firm! See where this is going?

It behooves us then, to understand how to bask in the presence of God, in His Light daily. I am going to indict myself here, but say what I believe is true anyway... To bask in the Light of God is to worship Him, to thank Him - it is to keep our faces pointed at Him just as a plant's leaves track the sun through the sky. It is the healthy and daily dose of sunlight that makes a plant firm! It is a healthy and daily dose of basking in God's presence that makes our faith firm!

This is not an either-or situation. For a fruit-bearing plant to be firm, it must have both moisture and light. Not to be overlooked also is the necessity of good soil. Jesus likened good soil to the submitted heart of man.

It would appear then, that three things are necessary for our faith to be firm (so God can work through it): a submitted heart, the Word of God, and worship (including thanksgiving).

Father, help me to see that You have clearly provided instructions for us to grow strong and healthy (firm) Christian lives.