Devotionals for the Heart: What I've learned about having greater faith

Greater Faith
A devotional by Aubrey Taylor

“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.”

—Luke 17:5 (KJV)

Trusting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior comes with a measure of faith.

As we mature in our faith walk with Jesus and begin to seek Him for guidance, our faith grows. Our understanding of doctrine becomes deeper as we allow His Spirit to instruct our hearts and change our attitudes.

Among the gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 (KJV), Paul also lists faith as a special gifting of the Holy Spirit. He said: “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues…”.

The New Living Translation (NLT) of 1 Corinthians 12:9 uses the term “great faith”. We could think of it as “special” faith: the ability to trust God for extraordinary things, to step out in faith in impossible situations, and believe Him for things that most believers simply can’t. That is not to say that if we cannot trust God for great things, it is a shortcoming in our walk. Special faith is the Holy Spirit’s gift to some, while He has gifted other believers in other areas. Still, perhaps it should challenge us: Could we trust God more, even if special faith is not our gifting?

We may not be placed in a situation where we are led to pray that God will raise the dead or heal the sick, but perhaps He is asking us to believe that He will provide for a financial situation that looks impossible. Perhaps God doesn’t want us to drop everything and move to another country, but He is asking us to make a daunting career change.

Faith is not just what saves us, or what allows us to grow in our relationship with God. It is the ability to have peace beyond the next step we need to take, beyond the answers we can see. Faith is the gift of being able to say, “I don’t have all the answers, but I know that God is in control, and I believe Him.”

Some people are given the gift of special faith, and they exercise it all the time. Other times, God might give it to an individual believer in a particular season. Perhaps we have stepped out in faith in the past but have not done so since. Perhaps God isn’t asking that of us, but it is also possible that we have lost sight of a gift He wants us to use. If that sounds like you, would you take time to sit before God in quiet and ask Him to show you what might be stopping you from using this gift of faith. Is there something we are choosing not to believe Him for, or is there something that we are simply not cognizant of yet?

Maybe we’ve never used this gift of faith, and today, God is challenging us to begin to seek Him for greater faith. Maybe we are simply afraid that if we step out in faith, He won’t be there. Whatever the case, would you pray with me?

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord Jesus,

I ask that You search my heart and see if there is any unbelief hidden there. Thank You that You do not condemn me for this, but please help me not to continue in it. I pray that You will show me any area in my life where you are asking me to have greater faith—to step out or to believe that You will fulfill a promise when I have lost all hope. Please give me a greater awareness of your purpose and plan so that I can work alongside You towards that goal.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Where There is Faith” by 4Him. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “What Faith Can Do” by Kutless. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “God is in Control” by Twila Paris. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

As a child, Aubrey spent countless hours creating characters and writing stories. 

Thirty years later, she took up her pen again, uniting her fascination for history with her passion for redemption. The stories she creates are a unique brand of gritty, honest wartime sagas, written from the German perspective.

Aubrey is the mother of three children, and she is married to her best friend Brian.

When she’s not writing or taking care of home and family, she can often be found making music, reading, or spending time with friends.

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Connect with Aubrey:
Website: www.aubreytaylorbooks.com
Blog: www.aubreytaylorbooks.com/blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aubreytaylorbooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aubreytaylorbooks/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/aubtaybooks