I don’t think there are any of us who do not struggle with our faith from time to time. It is part of being human and living in a fallen world. Do you ever feel like you’re continually taking one step forward and then two steps back in your Christian walk? Do you sometimes feel that your mind and your heart are pulling you in two different directions? If you have ever felt like this, you will be encouraged by this post written by Angela Stanley, a dear friend, fellow handmaid of the Lord, grandmother, and Bible teacher with Shepherd’s Heart Prison Ministry. Angela shares her experience of talking and praying about faith with her young grandson, Colin. Thank you, Angela, for allowing us to share!
“Each time Colin comes to stay with us I pray that God will give us time to read and discuss the Bible and the Christian faith, and that God would use our time together to grow Colin's faith in Jesus. And I pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal to me how to be praying specifically for Colin. On this last visit, as Colin and I sat by ourselves on the end of the dock, Colin shared the following: ‘I believe in Jesus, but sometimes my mind tells me I don't.’
I smiled at him and said, ‘Wow, Colin, that's a very mature observation of your faith!’ I then shared how many people in the Bible had made the same observation of their own faith, and how they were inspired by the Holy Spirit to ask God to expound on their belief and increase their faith in Jesus. I told him that God promised if we would seek Him then we would find Him. So if we seek God to grow our faith, then surely God will help us do just that. Then Colin just blessed my heart! He asked if we could pray for God to help him grow his belief in Jesus.
So out there on that dock, we bowed our heads and prayed! We prayed that Jesus would make Himself known so personally and powerfully to Colin that Colin's faith would be bold and boundless!
For the rest of our visit together, whenever we prayed, if I forgot to ask God to increase Colin's faith he'd quickly remind me!
So, I'd say God answered my prayer, wouldn't you? God did indeed use my time with Colin to grow his faith and to show me how to pray! THANKS BE TO GOD!!! May we all have that childlike honesty and admit to Jesus that we believe, but sometimes we don't believe. May we, too, ask our Lord to help us in our unbelief!
For what unbelief do you need to seek God?
And the apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith' (Luke 17:5).
Lord Jesus, increase our faith, help us in our unbelief, and show us how we can help less mature Christians with their unbelief, faithfully sending them to You, the only One who can increase their faith. Be Glorified By Increasing Our Faith, Jesus--AMEN"
“Each time Colin comes to stay with us I pray that God will give us time to read and discuss the Bible and the Christian faith, and that God would use our time together to grow Colin's faith in Jesus. And I pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal to me how to be praying specifically for Colin. On this last visit, as Colin and I sat by ourselves on the end of the dock, Colin shared the following: ‘I believe in Jesus, but sometimes my mind tells me I don't.’
I smiled at him and said, ‘Wow, Colin, that's a very mature observation of your faith!’ I then shared how many people in the Bible had made the same observation of their own faith, and how they were inspired by the Holy Spirit to ask God to expound on their belief and increase their faith in Jesus. I told him that God promised if we would seek Him then we would find Him. So if we seek God to grow our faith, then surely God will help us do just that. Then Colin just blessed my heart! He asked if we could pray for God to help him grow his belief in Jesus.
So out there on that dock, we bowed our heads and prayed! We prayed that Jesus would make Himself known so personally and powerfully to Colin that Colin's faith would be bold and boundless!
For the rest of our visit together, whenever we prayed, if I forgot to ask God to increase Colin's faith he'd quickly remind me!
So, I'd say God answered my prayer, wouldn't you? God did indeed use my time with Colin to grow his faith and to show me how to pray! THANKS BE TO GOD!!! May we all have that childlike honesty and admit to Jesus that we believe, but sometimes we don't believe. May we, too, ask our Lord to help us in our unbelief!
For what unbelief do you need to seek God?
And the apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith' (Luke 17:5).
Lord Jesus, increase our faith, help us in our unbelief, and show us how we can help less mature Christians with their unbelief, faithfully sending them to You, the only One who can increase their faith. Be Glorified By Increasing Our Faith, Jesus--AMEN"
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