And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6
A pattern of unbelief will dampen your Christian life and walk with the Lord. Unbelief comes from the Devil. A lack of faith is just one tool the evil one uses to destroy the relationship believers have with God. An unbelieving heart is not just a weakness it is a sin against God. Scripture teaches that God promises perfect peace to those who trust in Him. There are several examples in Scripture of doubt. When Noah obeyed God and built the ark he was mocked; his adversaries had unbelief. In Genesis 19 we learn about Lot’s wife who demonstrated a lack of faith by looking back at Sodom. Thomas showed a lack of faith in the resurrection of Christ. The best example of distrust is the Apostle Peter. However, God used Peter in great ways. A lack of faith does not mean God cannot use you.
It is important to recognise that unfaithfulness to the Lord is sin, which comes from the hardness of our sinful hearts. A lack of faith in the promises of God is what keeps the unbeliever from true salvation. In Mark 9:24 the Bible says, “Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” This should be the prayer of every child of God. We ought to pray, “Lord, I believe in you, help me to trust you more.” Faith in God is our weapon against doubt.
Ephesians 6:16 encourages believers, “in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” In every circumstance, we ought to take the shield of faith to protect us from the countless attacks from the world and the god of this world. Do you need to confess sins of unbelief, unfaithfulness, and/or doubt before God? Search the depths of your heart and confess all known areas of sin. Ask the Lord to strengthen your faith in Him. God uses a number of ways to strengthen our faith, one is through the truth of His Word. Read Scripture, commit it to memory, and hide it in your heart. Quote Bible passages, ground yourself in truth, and grow in faith. Contrary to the belief of some, we do not have to reach the impossible task of sinless perfection to do God’s work. May we bow our knees to His truth and trust Him in every situation we find ourselves in.
The reader will do well to consider the following and pray about the questions below.
- Have you let disappointments weaken your faith and prayer life?
- Are you often filled with more doubt than faith?
- Do you tend to worry rather than trust God?
- Are you fully trusting in God’s promises?
- Are you often in a state of anxiousness?
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