Lord, Help My Unbelief!

Today, people are very different in how they respond to the gospel. When something goes right in their lives, they thank the Lord and when something goes wrong, they blame the Lord. The world is inconsistent in their faith to the Lord. In Mark 9:34 we read of a child that is ill and the faith of the child’s father. The child’s father knew that although he had faith, he needed the Lord to help him in his faith to the Father. We will see three things that will help us to have a healthy faith. The first one is that a healthy faith starts with an honest faith (self-examination is key). Secondly, we will see that a healthy faith means being committed to the faith and finally we see that a healthy faith means challenging your faith (choose to grow from the challenges).

A healthy faith starts with an honest faith

A healthy faith cannot grow in a fake environment

A honest faith means self-examination (2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.”)

A honest faith means having a healthy faith (Luke 16:13 ““No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”” )

A healthy faith means being commited to the faith

Revelation 2:10 “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Luke 14:25-33 “Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”

Look at the fruit we bear (Galatians 6 and John 15:16 “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” )

A healthy faith means challenging your faith

James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

Having faith in Jesus is not always easy especially when we are persecuted.

Through self-examination (2 Cor. 13:5), prayer and meditation we can see what areas we need to challenge ourselves.

Conclusion: It should be our desire to grow in our faith. Growing takes time and patience. Don’t get discouraged if you do not feel like you are growing. Connecting and building relationships with fellow Christians for encouragement and being committed to fervent prayer and study you will see yourself growing in the faith day by day. Without being honest, committed, and willing to challenge our faith can we truly have a healthy faith? What are you doing to make sure you are continually growing in your faith?