On December 17, 1903, Orville Wright made history when he became the first man to take flight. For twelve gravity defying seconds he flew 120 feet along the banks of North Carolina. In the biography, The Wright Brothers, David McCullough explains how aviation experts point to that day as the beginning of air travel. But for Orville and his brother Wilbur, the day had been a long time in the making. By the time they celebrated their accomplishment, they’d spent thousands of hours in pursuit of the impossible. Perhaps what’s so inspiring about their story is that when Orville and Wilbur were experimenting with their makeshift aircraft, they’d never even seen a vessel take flight. Still, they believed it was possible.
As Christians, we too, encounter challenges that seem impossible. As I write this, I’ve got a list in my journal of prayer requests that I’ve been praying for a long time. The list includes names of unsaved loved ones, details of unresolved hardships, and things I’d like to see come to pass that haven’t yet. Perhaps you can relate. When we’ve been waiting a long time it’s easy to run low on faith. Some of us might be tempted to stop believing. But the Bible teaches that God’s people are to live by faith (Hebrews 10:38). Our lives and callings demand it.
- It took faith for Noah to build the ark.
- It took faith for Abraham to become the father of Israel.
- It took faith for Sarah to conceive a child in her old age.
- It took faith for Moses to lead the people of Israel.
- It took faith for David to become King of Israel.
- It took faith for Nehemiah to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem
- It took faith for Esther to save her people from being destroyed.
- It took faith for Mary and Joseph to parent the Christ-child.
- It took faith for the apostles to launch the New Testament church.
- It took faith for Paul to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.
Clearly, the Christian life is a life of faith. God has a long history of placing His children in situations that will force us to trust Him for things that seem impossible. During those times we come to know God in a deeper way. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
Since faith is such an important part of the Christian life, what should we do when our faith runs low? The Bible teaches at least three things that help refuel our faith.
- Recall ways God has been faithful in the past. Spending time reminiscing about our history with God reminds us of ways God has already acted on our behalf. Recalling these times will give our faith a boost and increase our expectation that He will meet our current and future needs. Lamentations 3:21 says, “This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope.”
- Ask God to increase your faith. It’s important for us to pray for our spiritual growth. What would our lives look like if we prayed for our spiritual maturity as often as we asked God for earthly comforts? The apostles specifically asked Jesus for more faith. Luke 17:5-6 says, “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith! And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would obey you.”
- Focus on God’s Word. The Scriptures make it clear that faith comes from hearing God’s Word. Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” To be sure, in this context Paul was referring to the faith that leads to salvation. But there is no doubt that God’s Word increases our faith in every aspect of living. When we spend time reading the Scriptures and listening to sermons our thoughts are reoriented to the ways of God and how He is faithful to work in the lives of His people.
Holocaust survivor Corrie Ten Boom said, “Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible.” I want to live with hope and expectation that God will bring to pass the things He has promised. When my faith runs low, I want to do all I can to rekindle it. I believe you do too.
“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
