Every step we take toward our spiritual growth, no matter how small, strengthens our faith.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the ancients obtained a good report. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were formed by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he was commended as righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it he still speaks when he was dead. 5 By faith Enoch was translated so that he would not see death, and was not found, because God translated him; and before he was translated he was commended as pleasing to God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently seek him.
Hebrews 11:1-6
God wants us to walk by faith, that is, to keep our eyes on what God will do through us and for us. Yet each of us faces challenges in life where it is difficult to trust in the Lord.
God is a God of patience and abundant in mercy and grace, this means that his grace and mercy do not end according to our condition. God is a God of patience and abundant in mercy and grace, this means that his grace and mercy do not end according to our condition, behavior or conduct. His word clearly shows us that in our life there is a process of growth, the process of sanctification, this is similar to the process that our children go through when they learn to walk, at first crawl, when they learn to stand they only do it by holding on to something, they begin to have balance and take very few steps with a lot of doubt but trying, it is inevitable that they fall, stumble or get hurt, we are there to help them as parents so that they get up and continue moving forward even after having fallen or been hurt, once they learn to take firm steps no one, the parents, we rest in the fact of knowing that it is to be able to walk completely alone.
We can transfer this to the spiritual aspect, we can compare it to our way of living in faith, little by little we learn to crawl, then walk and later to run, in the midst of all this we hold on to others, we can fall, stumble, hurt ourselves but the meaning is that we must not stop, we have to keep moving forward, this is the life of faith, it is to move forward and continue growing in the knowledge of Christ.
15 When they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these? He answered him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. He said to him, Feed my lambs. 16 He said to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me? Peter answered him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. He said to him, Feed my sheep. 17 He said to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me? Peter was saddened when he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he answered him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep."
John 21:15-17
God has provided absolutely everything we need, the Holy Spirit is the one who reveals and teaches us through the word of God, our responsibility is to study the word of God to know Him more and more. Step by step we are getting to know the promises that God has for us, everything that He has prepared in advance for our present and our future, all of this feeds our faith making it grow much more and be much stronger.
Let's take a moment to reflect on the decisions and actions we have taken this past week, let's ask ourselves how much of those actions were guided by the Holy Spirit of God and by His word. Let's remember that living by faith means living by the word, as we allow God to guide us our faith increases. Do you take on the challenge?