Faith For Normal People

Oftentimes we think of growing in our faith as something only possible for the “holy” people, those that never make mistakes, pray 24/7 and are practically perfect. At least that’s what I used to think, that growing in my faith seemed impossibly difficult and since it’s so hard, I’m probably going to do it wrong and so I just shouldn’t even try.

Then I was reminded by a friend of mine, that God does not expect perfection. In fact He loves me not in spite of, but because of my imperfections. 

So, what does faith for normal people actually look like?

Faith for normal people is messy, unpredictable, full of ups and downs and never seems to be the way we want it to be.

But don’t let that discourage you, you can grow in your faith, in digestible, practical ways that strengthen your relationship with God The Father, The Son and Holy Spirit.

So let’s talk about it.

My first recommendation for growing in your faith as a normal person is to take a few minutes to look at where your faith is right now. Ask yourself questions like, “What about my faith grounds me in the present moment? Where do I want to be in my faith journey in 6 months? Where are areas I struggle with doubt, is it in my finances, relationships, health?” 

Before you write down your answers, and I suggest writing these down as reference for future you, pray, asking for honesty to come through, free from expectations or shame.

The next thing I recommend for growing in your faith as a normal person is to talk about your areas of concern regarding your faith with a trusted friend and fellow believer. Community is one of the greatest gifts from God, “iron sharpens iron,” Proverbs 27:17 says, but to do that we must commit to relationships that challenge us and where we can be completely vulnerable.

In these conversations discuss your doubts, where you feel God hasn’t been there for you and where you would like Him to be. If we are honest, there are times when we feel disappointed in God, it’s okay this doesn’t make you not a Christian, it just makes you human and normal. One of the best parts about faith is that we can ask God for help in growing it. So pray earnestly, God listens, and He does not want you to shy away from Him in times of doubt, but lean into that feeling. The more we try to repress feelings the more likely they are to come out sideways. 

God is not afraid of your doubt. He is bigger than our feelings. Jesus tells us that he is “the truth and the life,” John 14:6. So the next thing I encourage you to do is pray specifically for Jesus to show you the way. The rest of that verse says “no one comes to the Father except through me.” And what a blessing this is. Jesus acting on our behalf gives us power that we could never have on our own. Jesus also tells us that we “will do greater things” than Him, John 14:12. 

Asking for Jesus’ help will always provide us with more hope than we would have if we tried to do everything on our own.

Lastly, and this might frustrate you, but you have to wait and be patient. Faith does not grow overnight, not to say we can’t have moments of extreme faith, but typically slow growth is more sustainable.

The whole point of growing in our faith is just like going to the gym. Not to get results right away but to be stronger when we need it. You would train for a race weeks if not months before the actual event, though unfortunately life stressors usually aren't planned, we can practice faith daily to build resilience for when the unexpected happens.

Bottom line: Faith for normal people requires small, frequent moments of intentionality over time.

Praying with you on this journey.