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
When I began thinking about how to increase our faith, I had to ask a more fundamental question: What is faith? I have seen God move miraculously—the deaf hearing, the blind seeing, the impossible made possible. Yet, my dad passed away from early-onset Alzheimer’s and now my sister is battling the same disease before turning 50. I look at persecuted refugees fleeing their native countries and families, leaving everything behind for Jesus. Why do they believe? What is faith?
Even biblical giants wrestled with this tension. When King David’s newborn son fell ill, David fasted, wept, and pleaded with God for seven days. Yet, when the child died, David got up and went into the house of the Lord to worship. True faith isn’t to bend God to our will; it is trusting in His character when the answer is “no.” If we know it is God’s will, we pray it boldly into life; if we are unsure, we seek His heart; and if we don’t see an answer, we keep on worshipping Him, trusting His good plans for us.
We cannot walk through the fire alone; we need a community of believers where we can reveal our burdens, lean on each other, and share testimonies to remind us that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28). In this way, in the midst of uncertainties and challenges of life, we can clothe ourselves in “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12–14) regardless of the outcome.