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I feel like a lot of the passages/references from the past two weeks involve Jesus rebuking people - especially the disciples - for their lack of faith. But He also claims that we don't need all that much faith in the first place:
"And He said to them, 'Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, "Move..." and it shall move.'" (Matt 17:20)
So I'm kind of left wondering: how do we cultivate faith?
It seems like we're always being told we need more of it (and if we only need a mustard-seed-sized portion of it, then maybe we need to get some at all), but how do we get more of it?
"I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to this fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. "
Ok, Jesus. I hear you, but that sounds like a lot of conditionals. What if I doubt sometimes? Or once in a while? How do I know I believe enough? Is there some threshold?
I was talking with a friend the other day, who has a fairly similar personality type to mine. She is currently among a group of believers who appear to be very faith-filled - all very committed to prayer and trusting in the work of the Spirit. But my friend (who is an awful lot like me), finds that when it comes to making decisions her more practical side is often very uncomfortable with the way this group functions.
So I'm left wondering (as I identify with her story as well as the disciples): what is the difference between a lack of faith and a difference in giftings? I really believe that my friend's ability to think clearly and rationally is a gifting and a way she can serve the greater body. But does that mean she has less faith than her coworkers? Does faith just "come easier" for some believers?
I guess I really only have questions on this topic, not a lot of clarity. I would love to hear what you all think in the comments if you get a chance.
In reference to your last few paragraphs, I think that relying on the gifts God has given us is an expression of faith. We must believe that God has given us his spirit, which is a spirit of power, who allows us to act in accordance with the spiritual gifts he gives us. To not use them to me expresses lack of belief that God works in more ways than one to do miraculous things. We have to remember that the disciples were not given spiritual gifts within the gospel accounts because they did not yet have the Holy Spirit until after Christ rose again. So we have no expressions in them about what that might look like.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that, Lissa - that actually really helps a lot. I hadn't really thought of the actual use of the gifts as a lack of faith... which totally exposes my tendency to want to do things myself. "Thanks for this gift Jesus. Now that you've equipped me though, I'll take it from here." Right.
ReplyDeleteI think it's important, too, to distinguish between "regular" faith and the spiritual gift of faith. I think the first is used very broadly in scripture and in real life, and the second speaks specifically about people who have the supernatural, God-given ability to be visionary, believe in what is unseen, pray that unseen reality into visible reality, etc. To use what is maybe a coarse phrase, the latter is somewhat like the "supersized" version of the first. Jesus calls us to have faith, and even the most basic elements of the Christian faith involves the ability to believe in what is unseen, to pray that unseen reality into visible reality, etc. But then there are those who are actually given the gift of faith in order to edify the body, and it is usually that group of believers who are predominantly involved in like, healing ministry, prophecy, etc at the local church level. I think as giftings go, we should never be made (or make ourselves) to feel like we "lack" because we aren't gifted in that way, but at the same time we are told to pray for an increase in gifting. So all of that to say... Don't write yourself off as lacking faith as compared to the standards of people with the spiritual gift of faith. That's like saying, "Well, I clearly don't care about serving others because the way I serve doesn't look like the way he/she serves" when really the way you serve may be totally legitimate, just different from the way he/she does as someone who is gifted specifically in service. Write yourself off as lacking if/when you ask the Holy Spirit to reveal where you lack faith and he actually does reveal an area... does that make sense?
ReplyDeleteI think it's important, too, to distinguish between "regular" faith and the spiritual gift of faith. I think the first is used very broadly in scripture and in real life, and the second speaks specifically about people who have the supernatural, God-given ability to be visionary, believe in what is unseen, pray that unseen reality into visible reality, etc. To use what is maybe a coarse phrase, the latter is somewhat like the "supersized" version of the first. Jesus calls us to have faith, and even the most basic elements of the Christian faith involves the ability to believe in what is unseen, to pray that unseen reality into visible reality, etc. But then there are those who are actually given the gift of faith in order to edify the body, and it is usually that group of believers who are predominantly involved in like, healing ministry, prophecy, etc at the local church level. I think as giftings go, we should never be made (or make ourselves) to feel like we "lack" because we aren't gifted in that way, but at the same time we are told to pray for an increase in gifting. So all of that to say... Don't write yourself off as lacking faith as compared to the standards of people with the spiritual gift of faith. That's like saying, "Well, I clearly don't care about serving others because the way I serve doesn't look like the way he/she serves" when really the way you serve may be totally legitimate, just different from the way he/she does as someone who is gifted specifically in service. Write yourself off as lacking if/when you ask the Holy Spirit to reveal where you lack faith and he actually does reveal an area... does that make sense?
ReplyDelete