“Have faith in God”, this is one of most used phrases when we tend to use to encourage a brother or sister who is going through a hard time. In a situation when the issue seems uncontrollable within the human measure and you can clearly see this person’s world falling apart. They will sometimes exclaim out of the pain in their hearts that “how can I have faith?” This response can leave you dumbfounded and worried about how you can help. It is a very hard moment and words may not seem useful to encourage or strengthen the brethren.

And in today’s devotion, I attempt to answer this rhetorical question “how can I have faith when everything is crashing around me?” I have a firm belief that there is always a way in Jesus Christ. Nothing in God is impossible, God is able to take our ashes and turn them into beauty.

Have you ever thought about faith being a NOUN? This was a great discovery for me. It may seem like common sense but it is very profound for our understanding of faith.

Faith is a NOUN

In times when we encourage others to have faith in trying times, it is not out of the bloom for the person(s) to obtain the faith. The scripture says faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. There is an action that birth faith for us to obtain faith. Faith is a substance but unseen and by this unseen substance we hold on to receive the blessings and promises of God.

Faith is obtained by an Action (VERB)

Beloved when we encounter such moments when we or others are going through painful times, let us reach out for the word of God and soak in it. In soaking in God’s word, we speak the word of God to be heard, we pray the word of God to present our petitions to God, we obey the word of God trusting in His word to be a lamp on our feet and a light to guide our path.

 Action with an Expectant Heart

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

As I reflect on “expectant heart” the words of the Lord Jesus Christ just rings in my heart. Jesus tells us in the gospel of Matthew to ASK, SEEK, KNOCK, all action words. In the course of performing these actions, it will transpire over a period of time. The results will not be obtained simultaneously with the action. Action first then result.

For one to obtain faith, the action precedes, asking (how can I have faith?) seek (searching the word of God, soaking in the truth), knocking (taking your petitions backed with God’s word to God in prayer). All of this done with an expectant heart believing that God will do it. An expectant heart is a true treasure that keeps us grounded in hard times. It is easy to lose our way in very troubling times. It the heart that always expects a move of God that is able to embark on the action to obtain faith in God to experience the manifestation of God’s word.

Beloved, I pray the Holy Spirit helps us to always have an expectant heart. Even in times when we ask the hard questions, our hope in God will not be lost. It is from the seed of the expectant heart that can lead us into obtaining faith in God to sustain us in all things. Always remember that Jesus Christ love you ❤