What Makes Faith Grow?

What makes faith grow? What can lift your weary heart when you’ve been praying and believing for weeks and months and maybe years for a situation to turn, a miracle to happen?  

You may have started out with bold statements of faith about God’s healing power. You may have declared with certainty God’s ability to save even the most lost person in the world. But now your faith is wavering and what was at least mustard-sized seems to be shrinking in fear and doubt and misgivings. 

You’re in good company. Jesus’ disciples—the ones who had walked with Him for three years, seeing the miracles and even participating in them themselves—were chided for their small faith.  

Three times in the book of Matthew, Jesus comments on it. 

“If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:30 NIV)

“He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” (Matthew 8:26 NIV) 

“Jesus asked, ‘You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?’” (Matthew 16:8-9 NIV) 

Luke reiterates the painful stormy boat moment when Jesus asks the disciples, “Where is your faith?”  

It’s like Jesus was doing everything He could to help the disciples grow in faith and do great things for God, but every time the wind blew or they were faced with a challenge, they wavered. They wondered.   

“In fear and amazement they asked one another, ‘Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.’” (Luke 8:25 NIV)

Jesus is calling you to believe and keep on believing. To trust beyond your understanding and know that His word is true. Prayer does work. You will see things beyond what you can ask or imagine.  

If your faith is shrinking in your current situation, let that mustard seed be watered. Make sure the soil is good around you. Get out into the sunshine and let God’s presence bring the increase.  

Don’t be afraid. Only believe.  (Mark 5:36 NIV)