Why does it makes us feel so bad when we don't have faith?

[Robbie]

I was just thinking how many christians I know see feeling like they're weak in faith is such a bad thing... like they so don't want to beat themselves up about it that they just reject that maybe it's their faith that's hindering them... so hears where I'm at... I'm gonna stop beating myself up about it and just see it like an obstacle to overcome... it's like as soon as we become Christian's some of us freak out when we don't just start raising the dead and say, "It must be because we can't do it because feeling like I don't have faith must mean I'm bad"... The thought just came that we're saved by grace but empowered by faith... I mean I guess as a surfer I have a good understanding how faith increases... like nobody goes out their first day when it's 20 feet... you build yourself up over time and you keep pushing yourself and eventually you reach higher and higher levels of faith in the water... even the disciples who walked with Christ followed that principle... they didn't start out with faith that could move mountains... they started off tripping out about where the food would come from and whether the storm was going to take them down yet grew as they practiced... so I'm over beating myself up about my lack of faith and I'm going to start seeing it as a practice and almost like a sport... like a race in a Paulish kind of way... and the more I practice the better I'll get... till the day when the morning star has risen fully in my heart... the light...

 

[martinlawrencescott]

James 1:3-4

"For when your faith is tested, your endurance has the opportunity to grow; so let it grow, for when it has fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything."

Ya, God can use all of life's obstacles to better us and increase our dependency on Him. I think too many times we as Christians identify and focus on the last time we messed up, vs. the last time God showed up in our weakness and proved faithful, which when we start to realize it, we can notice that it happens more often than we can mess up, and many times happens when or right after we mess up.

 

[justaname]

Hey you may have done this, but take it to God. Give a sincere prayer and ask Him to increase your faith. Know He is your protector when He takes you on the wave of your life though. You don't know He might just have you move a mountain or something.

 

[Robbie]

Good Word Martin and Justaname... thanks...

 

[aspen]

I think faith is a gift from God. I believe it comes to those who ask. Finally, I believe God gives it to everyone who asks, we just have to recognize it.

 

[Robbie]

I agree Aspen... I believe faith in God comes the same way we gain faith in each other... the longer we prove faithful to each other the more we trust each other... the more God proves faithful to us the more we trust Him... when we ask God for faith we're asking for Him to deliver us, protect us, provide for us, etc... basically exactly what Jesus told us to pray... give us our daily bread, deliver us from the evil one, etc...