The Gift of Faith

Theoretically, we should all have this gift or else we would not be a Christian. However, if you are like me, this kind of faith goes way beyond what one would normally be assured of. According to Spiritualgiftstest.com “The gift of faith allows an individual to believe in God within every element of life. A person with this gift understands the divine strength and ability in God. If a person with this gift wants to grow, they must continue to follow Jesus Christ and seek out ways to allow faith to serve them throughout every facet within their life.”

I have met people with this spiritual gift in my life. They are the people who are genuine when they say: “The Lord will provide” or “Just wait for what God’s going to do.” We have all used these phrases in our lives, even when there might be a little doubt to assure ourselves and those around us. Someone with this spiritual gift simply cannot see a world in which God is not actively participating in their well-being and life 24/7. This does not mean that they have a charmed life. They see God moving and working in their lives in such a way that their faith grows stronger no matter the circumstance. And this individual must find ways to tell their faith stories to others. This is how they serve God.

For those who don’t have the spiritual gift of faith, we are still called to exercise this gift with the possibility of gaining skills in this area. So here are four tips that may help you lay the foundation for someone to sustain a viable life.

1. Attitude Renewal

I started to call this an attitude adjustment, but it is more than that and certainly more positive. Pray right before you go to sleep and as soon as you wake up (even before you get out of bed). Ask God to give you the faith you need today to see things in a light that boosts your attitude. If something happens, “good or bad,” stop and look at it with curiosity. Reflect on questions such as: What was God wanting me to learn from this? Was I helpful in this situation? If so, how? How did I show my faith to others involved? Where did I let God down and how can I do better next time?

As you intentionally see God working in the events of your life, your faith will begin to grow by leaps and bounds. We do not believe God causes things to happen but uses them (and us) to make all aware that God is with us every step of the way through the precious and powerful Holy Spirit, our comforter.

2. Daily Journaling

Set a time and place aside to spend some time journaling. Buy a special blank book that will inspire you to want to write. Take a Bible text each day and read it over several times. If your pastor uses the lectionary to preach on, you may want to focus your journaling each day on one of those passages. If not, you may know of a list of scriptures that would be meaningful to you or you may want to do the “let the Bible fall open” method. After you have read the scripture several times, ask yourself these questions and journal your answers: What is God trying to teach or tell me with this scripture? How does that relate to my faith? How can I use this lesson in my life today to share my faith story with others?

3. Create a Video

Ask your congregation to work on a project with you. Tell them you would like to video as many faith stories of the church attendees that you can. You may want to have a few questions ready that might give them an idea of what their story is and how to tell it. Tell them there is no set length of a faith story. They will want to tell a story that they would be willing to sit through. Their story may begin in their childhood when they joined the church or a month ago when they saw God moving in their life and felt that this was a renewal of their faith. There is no wrong or right way to do this. They can film themselves on their smartphones or you could set up a quiet place at the church for them to tell their story at their leisure. Anything that will help them feel comfortable. Then put these videos together to show the church or use one a Sunday to begin or end each worship service. Encourage all ages to do this as faith stories can be powerful regardless of age.

4. God was Here Today

Sit with your family or by yourself at the end of the day and either share or reflect on where you saw God in your life today. This does not have to be a real serious activity especially if you have kids in the family. It simply gets everyone to begin being aware of God’s presence in their lives and why they need to be grateful for their faith. Then pray a short prayer thanking God for seeing God’s presence in your life today.