“…Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith…” (Heb. 12:1-2, ESV).
Do you often think about Jesus being the perfecter of your faith? It takes so much pressure off to understand that that’s His job. You don’t have to worry about whether your faith is strong enough. You can slide that burden off your shoulders and right into His beautiful, big, awaiting hands.
Strengthening and purifying the quality of your faith is His project – one that He is passionately committed to. Every day of your life, He is eagerly and faithfully working on this project.
Here is a description of what that looks like: He stands at the door and knocks. As often as we are willing to open to Him, He comes in and dines with us. We spent time communing together, feasting on precious fellowship. During that time of fellowship, Holy Spirit is doing His beautiful work in our hearts, strengthening our faith through the Word and through His personal communication to our spirits.
As we commit ourselves to this regular fellowship, each day we get to know Him a little bit better than the day before. The more you and I get to know God, the more we come to perceive how good and kind He is. That heart knowledge of His nature fosters hope on the inside of us. Our hope grows in direct proportion to our awareness of His unfailing love for us. That growing hope is the substance of faith.
As hope grows, faith grows. Our developing faith then connects you and me into the flow of the good gifts that express His nature. As Jesus would say to the individuals receiving His ministry, “According to your faith it is done unto you.” This statement is not intended to put pressure on us. Instead, the Father intends it to encourage us to continue yearning for and surrendering to His perfecting work of our faith.
Yes, all of this is His work in us. It’s not something we do for ourselves. We couldn’t if we tried. Jesus is the perfecter of our faith. We just need to keep giving Him room in our lives to do the breathtaking work He is so amazingly good at.
So what is our role in this hope-growing, faith-growing process? According to our Scripture for today, two things:
1) “…Let us run with endurance…” Keep on pushing forward on the track that He has set in front of you. The emphasis here is not on your speed, but on your endurance. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Don’t give up! As you keep pressing forward, know that Holy Spirit is doing a breathtaking work on the inside of you, perfecting your faith.
2) “…Looking to Jesus…” Keep on looking at the One who loves you more than anything. When you see Him gazing back at you with eyes brimming over with devotion, it gives you the strength to keep taking that next step forward. As you keep training the eyes of your heart on Him, you will perceive Him more and more clearly. As you run this race in His intimate company, your companionship will continue to build. Hope and faith will quietly and beautifully continue to grow inside of you.
So the pertinent question is not, Is my faith strong enough? Don’t worry about that. Take your eyes off that question and instead fix them on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith. He will complete the good work He began in you.
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Question for you: What is the difference between the measure of faith God gives to each of us (Romans 12:3), and the spiritual gift of faith mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:9? I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on this. Do people who receive the gift of faith get a jumpstart on the growth process we have talked about today?
Also, how is your faith journey going? What are your thoughts on Jesus’ work in your life to perfect your faith?
Feeding On Jesus 
Thank you for your message. I needed this reminder. You have explained the relation between hope and faith so well. True, by allowing the word of God and keeping close to God, opening the door when Jesus knocks and cultivating our hope strengthens our faith. And as the verse you quoted says, it’s done unto us as we believe but then you again said we shouldn’t feel pressure but let God through allowing. We can take small steps to grow our faith. To answer the question you posed at the end, yes, people endowed with stronger faith have a jumpstart, but life is a journey and each person’s is unique. The test of faith We go through in life in our experiences in the end help strengthen our faith. Personally I’ve had difficult experiences the last few years but renewing my hope and feeding my faith with the words and little inspired action steps keep me going. Thank you
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Wow, thank you so much, Kinge, for your thoughtful reply. I really enjoyed reading your insights. I am praying right now that the Lord would infuse you with His divine encouragement in all that you have been facing! (Slow reply because I was on vacation 🙂 )
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Welcome and Amen to your blessings. Trusting you had a peaceful and relaxing vacation🙂. Stay Blessed.
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I sure did, thank you Kinge!
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Great questions Jenn! Holy Spirit will guide us in truth as we delve more deeply into the Word. Thanks for encouraging us to do so!
As with all study of Scripture, context is vitally important in helping us understand what God is saying. In Romans 12:3, Paul was inspired to remember in humility that all we have and are is because of what God has done for us through Jesus. Hence we are not to think too highly of ourselves, for it is through faith in Christ, not us, that God is to be exalted.
In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul is led to write about the manifestation of the spiritual gifts that are given to believers for the common good. In this context, then, the spiritual gift of faith is given to some that they may express in word and deed what God has done and is doing. Having this gift of faith allows one to better interpret circumstances in order to instruct others about the presence of God as they occur.
In short, the manifestation of the gift of faith is given so that others may see the attraction of living life devoted to God.
blessings on you and this ministry,
Chuck
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Chuck, thank you for this thoughtful and insightful explanation! It added a lot of value to this conversation, and I am blessed and grateful! Holy Spirit was speaking to my heart as I read your words. (The late reply is because I was on vacation for the last couple weeks — had preprogrammed the devos that came out during that time on my site. I hope you and Betsy had a beautiful Thanksgiving!)
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We hope your vacation was refreshing! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Our ministry was able to purchase all the fixings for a traditional dinner and Betsy and I got to prepare, serve and enjoy it at a local halfway house for recovering alcoholics and addicts.
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I was so blessed by this that I just read it to my daughter Ester. That sounds SO wonderful! I can only imagine how many people were blessed by the love of Jesus shining through the two of you. (Still trying to catch up on my comments, as you can see!)
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When I am weak He is STRONG….AMEN
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Amen and AMEN. Thank You, Abba Father!
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Your post is so inspiring and uplifting, right what I need today. Thanks and god bless you.
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Aw, I am so very glad, Zadi! May He bless you too! (Slow reply because I was on vacation!)
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No worries, thanks
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Thank YOU! ❤
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You are welcome
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Thank you so much for writing and sharing this post. It reminds me of how my Pastor at Church, has taught us that faith is the key to everything when it comes to reading and understanding The Bible and also living a Godly life. If one is able to believe, then that’s when in my opinion one is then given the opportunity to see God unfold miracles in one’s life. Like many other Christians, I have been blessed and continue to see The Lord’s work in my life. I can definitely see beauty when I am given beautiful days of splendour and awe to enjoy. Though I am finding that when I am really down and out, hanging on by what feels like a fingernail and I call out to Jesus on my knees in tears, after spending time in fellowship with Him, he gives me the strength to keep going. What amazing grace, mercy, unfailing love, goodness and kindness we have in The Lord Jesus Christ if only one has faith to believe ❤️🙏🏽 God bless
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Michelle, I SO appreciate you sharing from your life’s journey in the context of this topic! There is something so powerful about our own personal experience of His faithfulness. He really does come through, every time, strengthening us as we hold onto Him in faith. May He greatly encourage your own faith today as you continue to walk forward in Him! (Slow reply beccause I was on vacation!)
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I do get a little confused sometimes, I have to admit. There seems to be, and have always been 2 positions – the faith alone and the faith and works together. Either it’s absolutely all God – even down to whether we choose to follow Him or not, or that we have to choose our destiny. This might not be what you are asking, (as I write this I doubt myself), but Jesus says “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me… and my Father will love them and I myself will love them and show myself to them.” I think what I’m saying is, yes, I believe He is my Salvation, He is the giver of every good thing, but I have a job! That is to stay connected, to listen to Him, to hear Him and to obey. My willingness and desire to all this comes from Him, granted, but I have to choose to say yes. Don’t I?
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Yes and amen and yes! You bring up such a vital point for this discussion, Dawn. We absolutely do have a part to play. He says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” He really does need our willingness and obedience to be able to fully bless us and work in the depths of our souls with His transforming power. The work is all His, but He won’t force it on us. Thank you so much for mentioning this critical complimentary principle!
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I love this post! God bless!
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Aw, thank you so very much, Aimee! (The late reply is because I was on vacation — had preprogrammed the devos that came out during that time on my site. But I am truly glad to hear from you, and I hope you had a beautiful Thanksgiving!)
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I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well!
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I sure did, thank you Aimee 🙂 ❤
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I feel faith in my soul as that which God provides. As I have committed to doing what the Lord puts in front of me and encourages me to I find the path easier to walk. There are still obstacles but I feel confident He will guide me towards those which are mine to overcome. I have faith in that guidance.
Today I had a feeling of déjà vu. This year, as at about this time last year, I was approached by someone looking to gift books on Hinduism and talk further about it. I felt comfortable and confident having a conversation, expressing Christian faith, my trust in God’s strength and grace, and politely declining the books they offered. Last year I was not leaning on the strength of Jesus, I still felt it was me I the needed to have the strength to have this conversation and others like it.
Thank you for the encouragement to share and grow in our relationship with Jesus.
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How wonderful that you can see the growth from a year ago! I know that’s gotta be a great reason for joy in your heart. I am rejoicing with you! Here’s to lots more wonderful growth in the New Year!
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