Great Faith: It’s not what you think

cancer chemo chair prayers suffering

How do we build great faith?

People often say to me “I wish I had more faith. I really need it.”

Or, “My faith’s just not strong enough to get through this.”

I get it. All pain and suffering has the ability to knock our faith but there’s something about cancer that can really cause us to question our faith – both how much we have and whether it’s strong enough!

We wonder things like

– Did this happen because I didn’t pray enough, believe enough,
– Maybe God hasn’t healed me because I don’t have enough faith
– Is my faith enough for me to get into heaven if I die?
– Is my faith strong enough to cope with Cancer this year?

We want to have great faith.

We long to have a faith that doesn’t waiver and wobble in the hardest parts of the storm. We want faith that can hold us firm, keep us safe, calm and full of hope and peace when our cancer journeys are the hardest.

We want our faith to be solid ground beneath our feet but more often than not it feels like shifting sand.

One moment our faith feels pretty good then, in the dead of night or as we lie on the scanning machine as it whirs around us, it appears to give way beneath us. Then, if it doesn’t crumble completely, it lacks the robustness we need…CLICK TO TWEET

We end up back at square one, struggling to believe we have enough faith and assuming what little faith we do have simply isn’t strong enough.

I hear it again and again and I’ve been there myself… but friend, this is one of the biggest tragedies we face because just at a time when we need great faith most, we start to doubt it.

Out of the carnage of a difficult season of church planting, losing my sister to cancer and then being diagnosed myself, the Lord taught me some powerful things about finding faith, great faith, and about standing on solid ground when everything else around us is shifting, shaking and quaking.

I’m not saying my faith is 100% rock solid 100% of the time – oh no, far from it – but I am saying that what the Lord has shown helps me rebuild my faith and find solid ground, Every. Single. Time.

And that’s what I want for you right now and in this new year – solid ground.  

This year, no matter what 2021 holds for you in your cancer journey, with the pandemic, or any of the other multitude of things this year could land you, I don’t want any of us to be asking those questions and doubting our faith in the year ahead.

More than anything I want you to have solid ground to stand on this year, whatever comes your way…I want you to have great faith my friend.

More than anything I want you to have solid ground to stand on this year, whatever comes your way...I want you to have great faith my friend.CLICK TO TWEET

Great faith that doesn’t shift and shake under your feet but instead is firm, solid, and strong enough to see you through no matter what. 

But how do we find that? 

Finding solid ground starts by discovering that great faith isn’t quite what we think it is.

We so often think having faith relies on us and we muscle up all the faith we can, only to struggle when something hard happens.The centurion knows two things we often forget, about what great faith really is.

He knows faith isn’t dependent on himself but on Jesus

If you’re like me when you question the strength of your faith your focus is on yourself – and you ask “do I have enough faith?”

But it’s not about us and what we can do it’s about Jesus and what he can do.

He knows Jesus does what he says he’ll do.

This is great faith. Not outward religion, not impressing others with bible knowledge, not beating ourselves up for not doing enough…simply believing that faith isn’t about us it’s about Jesus and believing what Jesus says is true…

Friends, this is great news for us!!

Having great faith for the year ahead has zip all to do with your strength, your will power, how much you have or haven’t been to church, read your bible or prayed.
It’s all about Jesus and what he can do.

But here’s the thing, great faith isn’t about us and what we can or should do but about Jesus and all he can and will do.

Great faith isn't what we think it is. Great faith isn’t about us and what we can or should do but about Jesus and all he can and will do.CLICK TO TWEET

It’s about hearing his word and putting it into action.

Thankfully it’s not so massive we have to muster up the strength for after all.

Listen in as I lead you in our practical, down to earth story-based devotional before we pray through our TRUST prayer practice  and I leave you with an invitation for the week ahead.

Click here to listen!

Grab your 5 Scriptures to Build Great Faith HERE

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Download your TRUST prayer book mark HERE so you can pray along with me and pray with more confidence and less doubt in the week ahead.