“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4)
Dearest Daughters,
Scripture tells us, “This is the victory that overcomes the world—even our faith.” (1 John 5:4)
If faith is the victory that overcomes the world, then it seems that if we’re looking for victory in life, we ought to practice faith and come to a deeper understanding of what it truly means.
I believe that if faith is the victory that overcomes the world, then certainly it can also be the victory that overcomes fear, anxiety, discouragement, and the daily troubles of life.
Whenever I’m not feeling victory in some sphere of life, I often ask myself: Is this simply the challenges of life or is there a lack of faith?
If the house feels chaotic and lacking peace, perhaps I don’t have enough faith.
If there’s tension in my marriage, perhaps faith is running short.
If I seem unable to gain forward momentum with a toddler, where is the faith?
If I can’t seem to connect with a teenager, perhaps faith is the shortfall. When I encounter these difficulties, one of the first places I should look is whether I am responding in faith.
So let’s examine faith. I think the definition of faith in Christian circles is often diluted until it becomes little more than mental agreement that God is God. But biblical faith is quite different. Biblical faith always produces action. Hebrews 11 describes faith in vivid terms. Noah, having faith, built an ark. Abraham, having faith, left his country. Moses, having faith, chose to suffer with the people of God. Again and again, faith moved someone to act.
And when we look at the passage where the disciples ask the Lord, “Increase our faith,” in Luke 17, we find something very interesting.
Jesus has just told them that they must forgive—not merely once or twice, but over and over again. In response they cry out, “Lord, increase our faith!”
Jesus first tells them that if they have faith as a grain of mustard seed, they can say to a tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it will obey them.
But then He immediately tells what seems at first to be an unrelated parable. He speaks of a servant who has spent the day laboring in the field. When he returns home, the master does not tell him to sit down and rest. Instead, the servant prepares the master’s meal and continues serving. And after doing so, he simply says, “We are unprofitable servants. We have done only what was our duty to do.”
Somehow, this story is part of Jesus’ answer to their request for greater faith.
I have often thought about that. When I lie in bed at night after a long and taxing day, my mind wanders back through the hours. If I’ve simply done what I know was required of me before God as a wife, mother, homemaker, or friend, there’s a certain satisfaction in that.
But there is a different feeling altogether when I have responded to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
When I have reached out to encourage someone.
When I have written a note.
When I have given a gift.
When I have made a meal or a phone call.
When I have gone beyond what was merely required of me.
Those are the days when I feel as though I have stepped into a rushing current. New ideas come. New energy comes, and above all, joy comes. And what is remarkable is that whenever I step beyond myself in faith, God often sends something back in return.
It’s like casting out a tiny seed and watching it spring up into a tree. The encouragement returned. There are unexpected blessings, and I find renewed sense of purpose. There is deep joy that comes from knowing God moved through me in some small way.
Faith seems to grow from faith and glory grows from glory. When you give faith away, it somehow reflects back to you. When you extend courage, hope, kindness, and love to others, the radiance of God shines both through you and then back upon you. Faith becomes contagious.
So if you find yourself falling short, if victory seems absent in some area of your life, ask the Lord as the disciples did:
“Lord, increase my faith.”
And then look for an opportunity to go beyond the call of duty. Do something that requires you to step outside of yourself. Encourage someone. Forgive someone. Serve someone. Bless someone. Take one small step of faith, and then watch what God does.
I challenge you to see whether you do not find more victory, more faith, and more momentum than you had yesterday. Let us walk in the victory that overcomes the world. The victory that overcomes fear. The victory that overcomes doubt. The victory that overcomes the cranky toddler. The victory that overcomes the despondent teenager. The victory that overcomes selfishness and brings the radiant glory of God into the world.
With all my love,
Mom
Very good and much needed! O Lord, may our faith be increased and overflow!