Fanning into Flame the Dying Fire of Faith

A few months back, someone posed a question to a group of people sitting around a bonfire (don’t all the best and deepest conversations seem to happen around campfires? They do for me!). Their question was this: “What is something you do to grow in faith? To have a deeper faith?” An excellent question. 

There was nothing but the sound of crackling fire for a moment as I allowed the question to turn over, back and forth, in my mind. As I allowed it to soak in, my mind began to view this from a different point of view than the one of how the question was posed. I thought not necessarily of how I grow in my faith, but what I do to combat doubt when it assaults my faith.  Hebrews chapter 11 tells us that “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” I believe that there are promises in my life that God has yet to fulfill. So how do I cling to the hope and faith that He who has promised will indeed be faithful to His word? 

Finally, I allowed these thoughts to manifest themselves into words, “When I start to feel a lack of faith, I remember what God HAS already done in my life,” I began. “As humans, we so easily forget what He’s done. That’s why the Bible is FULL of examples of God reminding His people what He’s already done for them. Because they were always forgetting, and then they would doubt.” I continued, “So, I journal about the things that God has done, and then I go back and read about it and realize again, ‘Oh, God answered this prayer that I had two months ago, so He must have a way of getting me through this difficulty now.' ” 

I believe this practice is not only biblically founded, but is also entirely essential for every believer. We, just like the Israelites, so easily forget what God has done for us in the past and are quick to complain and cry out to God when our circumstances turn difficult. It is good to cry out to God when we need Him; we see the psalmists do this all the time. Yet something I’ve noticed about the writers is that, though they often start with their circumstances and speak out of the depth of their distress and sorrow, by the end of the psalm, they are usually praising the Lord. 

Let me be clear: it is perfectly okay for us to feel emotions of fear, sorrow, and heartache; it is a natural human response in times of grief or duress. The importance is for us not to wallow in the emotions forever. The psalmists exemplify this wonderfully. The very next day, in my daily Bible reading, I came across Psalm 77, the content of which perfectly corresponded to the wondering question about faith around that blazing bonfire:

“I cried out to God for help;
    I cried out to God to hear me.
² When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
    at night I stretched out untiring hands,
    and I would not be comforted.

³ I remembered you, God, and I groaned;
    I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.^[b]
4 You kept my eyes from closing;
    I was too troubled to speak.
⁵ I thought about the former days,
    the years of long ago;
⁶ I remembered my songs in the night.
    My heart meditated and my spirit asked:

⁷ “Will the Lord reject forever?
    Will he never show his favor again?
⁸ Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
    Has his promise failed for all time?
⁹ Has God forgotten to be merciful?
    Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

¹⁰ Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
    the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
¹¹ I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
    yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
¹² I will consider all your works
    and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

¹³ Your ways, God, are holy.
    What god is as great as our God?
¹⁴ You are the God who performs miracles;
    you display your power among the peoples.
¹⁵ With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
    the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

¹⁶ The waters saw you, God,
    the waters saw you and writhed;
    the very depths were convulsed.
¹⁷ The clouds poured down water,
    the heavens resounded with thunder;
    your arrows flashed back and forth.
¹⁸ Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
    your lightning lit up the world;
    the earth trembled and quaked.
¹⁹ Your path led through the sea,
    your way through the mighty waters,
    though your footprints were not seen.

²⁰ You led your people like a flock
    by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”

This is only one way to renew and reinvigorate our faith during times of doubting: Remember. Reflect. Think on our Creator, the God of the Universe, who with a single word spoke our lives into existence. Such is his power; it is life and breath and everything else. It is limitless. That is the God who will fulfill His promises to you, though it may not be in your way or in your time. 

So, this is my challenge: Take some time to remember today. Reflect. Look back at journals if you have them; leaf through them and marvel at what God has done in your life and in the lives of those around you—He IS moving and working, I promise you. Then make it a habit. Set aside time every week or month if you can to delve into this practice of remembrance and reflection, and see how your doubts, questions and fears will instead be turned to praise and wondering at the incredible God we serve!