Deepening Our Faith
The question about increasing or deepening our faith is often asked of me. While no set formula exists that applies to each situation, some pathways are proven to work. Of course, deepening our faith means that we draw closer to Christ and give more of our lives over to Him; loving Him with more of our heart, soul, mind and strength.
To know Christ and strengthen that relationship, each Christian needs to employ a holistic approach, meaning we increase our knowledge through study, fortify individual relationships through spiritual disciplines like prayer, and put our bodies to work through serving others in Christ’s name. These three aspects of spiritual development are usually done over a period of time, from weeks to years. In our church, we are currently formulating an approach where each person can assess where he/she is in spiritual development and can develop a plan to deepen his/her faith.
In addition to these longer term approaches, I believe that we need to incorporate some big events to help us along the way. These events offer a “jump-start” opportunity that propels us and motivates us as well. These events are things like spiritual retreats, mission work teams, Walk to Emmaus, and pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Having recently returned from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, I see what such a trip does to my faith, and the faith of those travelling with me. Our group experienced exhilaration as we sat in a boat on the Sea of Galilee imagining Jesus doing the same, and likewise experienced sadness as we stood on Calvary and then saw where Jesus’ body was laid after crucifixion. Such experiences motivate us to read our Bibles, understand more clearly the commands of our Lord, and strive to live according to His will.
So, deepening our faith requires us to “do” something, both long and short term. The Holy Spirit awaits our overtures, anxiously anticipating our desire. As we approach the upcoming Lenten season where we prepare ourselves once again to realize the depth of love Christ has for us, I urge you to deepen your faith through study, discipline, action, and “jump-starting” type of events.
God bless you.
Grace and peace,
Ted