Want to know how to have more faith in God? There are plenty of ways to boost your faith; these are the three things that have helped me most.
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If you struggle with a lack of faith, you are not alone! Even Jesus’ disciples had that problem!
So it shouldn’t surprise us, that we do too.
Over the years, I’ve personally gone through many seasons of doubt. There was the “how do I know Jesus is for real?” phase (before I was saved). And then later, the “God hasn’t answered my prayers yet, is He really even there?” phase.
Even now that I’ve been a born-again believer for 16 years, I still have day to day faith struggles. At this point, I’m confident that God is who He says He is, but yet my faith still wavers. I lack the faith to believe that He can/will do certain things (like heal a friend who’s sick, or give me a husband (hello, still single at age 36!)).
I try to tell myself “with God all things are possible!” (Matthew 19:26). But, in all honesty, I still have plenty to learn about how to have more faith in God.
Like I said, if you feel this way too, you are not alone.
Just look at these people in the Bible who struggled with how to have faith in God completely:
- Sarah laughed at the idea that she and Abraham would have a child in their old age…but God made it happen! Clearly, nothing is too hard for Him. (Genesis 18:10-15, 21:1-3)
- The Israelites failed to believe they would be able to conquer the Canaanites and take possession of the promised land, even though God had already said He would give them the victory! Crazy, right? (Numbers 14)
- Gideon was so preoccupied with his own shortcomings, he doubted he would be able to strike down the Midianites, even with God’s help. Twice, he asked God to give him a sign that he would be successful, because he just couldn’t believe it. (Judges 6-7)
- Jesus’ disciples were terrified of the storm, even though Jesus was right there in the boat with them! Lesson #1 in how to have faith in God during hard times, as learned from the disciples: don’t panic! (Matthew 8:23-27)
- Thomas doubted that Jesus had really been resurrected… it wasn’t until he touched Jesus’ wounds himself, that he finally believed. (John 20:24-29)
I especially find Gideon’s story encouraging, as I’m learning how to have more faith and trust in God. When Gideon protests “but…my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family”, God simply says “I will be with you”. (Judges 6:15-16)
How awesome is that? In all my struggles with being weak, tired, sleepy, you name it (I’ve had narcolepsy since age 12), I sometimes wonder what good I am, or why God would choose me for anything. But God says “I am with you!”.
But [Jesus] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)
3 Ways to Have More Faith in God
Whatever struggles YOU have with doubt, I’m sure you want to know: “How DO I strengthen my faith in God?”
The good news is, there are plenty of ways you can learn how to have more faith in God. These three things in particular, are the ones that have helped me over the years.
1) Explore the evidence, and weigh all the reasons you have to believe
Maybe you’re struggling with foundational doubts, like does God even exist, is Jesus really the only way to heaven, and so forth. In which case, I encourage you to read God’s Word, test it out for yourself, and also do some of your own research into the claims of the Bible.
Practically speaking, this is a great way for how to build your faith in God… by giving God a chance! Seek His truth, and see where He leads you.
Some years ago, when I was going through a serious season of doubt, there were two books I read that really helped to boost my faith. The first is The Case for Christ, which presents all the evidence surrounding Jesus life, death, and resurrection. And the second, is The Case for Faith, which addresses many common objections to Christianity, such as “since evil and suffering exist, a loving God cannot” and “God isn’t worthy of worship if He kills innocent children”.
Both books were exceptionally helpful to me, in overcoming the typical doubts and questions about God’s existence. The author, Lee Strobel, was an atheist who initially sought to disprove Christianity, but instead ended up becoming a Christian himself. Which makes for a very interesting read!
2) Ask God to increase your faith!
But then, what if you DO have faith, but it’s tinier than a mustard seed? You want to know how to get more faith in God, right?
On that note, I love what transpired in Mark 9:14-29, when Jesus healed a boy who was possessed by an “impure spirit”. Jesus told the boy’s father, “everything is possible for the one who believes” (verse 23). And the boy’s father responded by saying “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (verse 24).
In essence, he was saying “I do have (some) faith, but I need so much more!” And isn’t that the case for all of us?
So, the lesson here is, if you want more faith, ask God for it! Just as the Bible tells us to ask God for wisdom, for guidance, protection, etc., we can also ask for more faith.
3) Read His Word and pray
And lastly, a reminder that always bears repeating… the most important way for how to have more faith in God, is simply to seek Him more through His Word and prayer!
When you read about God’s promises in the Bible, see His wisdom and guidance play out in your own life, learn how various Bible characters grew in their faith, and so forth… you’ll naturally grow in faith. And likewise, by spending time with Him in prayer, you see (over time) all the ways He’s present in your life.
So to summarize, if you want to know “How can I increase my faith in God?”, it’s the whole experience of walking with Him that will grow your faith by leaps and bounds. For nearly every person in the Bible who struggled with doubt, their faith grew simply because they witnessed God’s faithfulness time and time again. They saw His miracles, protection, mercy, and love, and so they believed!
As you learn how to have more faith in God, just keep putting one foot in front of the other, make every effort to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus (2 Peter 3:18), and take note of all the ways God works in your life. Keep your eyes on Him, and He’ll help you grow in faith!
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)
Hi! Thank you so much for visiting Divine Creative Love. I’m a Jesus-lovin’ girl, lettering artist, designer, and general creative-at-heart. And, I have narcolepsy. I blog about faith in God, overcoming challenges, and creative topics such as Bible journaling. If you’re new here, be sure and subscribe to my list so you won’t miss anything!
I want my faith in God grow, this is because i conderm my self that i wll not make it to Heaven due to my many sins and my prayers come back to me unanswered
Just remember Romans 8:6-9 (NIV): You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
I just realized that the Bible is a living breathing document. We are here now in this moment. So is He. We need him.
Thank you for your website.
You’re welcome! The Bible is absolutely the living Word of God. I like to think of it as a love letter from God, and a how-to manual for life, which God continues to speak through each time we read it. It’s so much more than just words on a page! 💗