Is Your Faith Gathering Dust?
We live in a world that constantly demands our attention, pulling us in many different directions. Amidst the noise and the busyness, it’s easy for our faith, that precious gift, to become something we acknowledge but don’t actively engage with. Like a treasured photograph tucked away in a drawer, it’s there, we know it’s there, but how often do we truly take it out, dust it off, and allow its image to impact our present?
Think about the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30. The master entrusts his servants with different amounts, expecting them to invest and increase what they’ve been given. Out of fear, one servant buries his talent. How often do we, perhaps unintentionally, bury the gift of faith we’ve been given? We go through the motions, attend services, and offer a quick prayer, but is our faith truly growing, expanding, and impacting the world around us?
Consider the story of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8. Jesus uses her relentless pursuit of justice to illustrate the importance of persistent prayer and unwavering faith. Her faith wasn’t passive; it was active, demanding, and ultimately, effective. Is our faith characterized by such persistence? Do we bring our deepest needs and desires before God with unwavering belief, or do we give up easily when answers don’t come on our timetable?
Imagine a muscle. If you never use it, it will atrophy and become weak. Similarly, our faith requires exercise to grow stronger. This exercise comes in many forms: consistent prayer, diligent study of God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:15), active participation in a community of believers (Hebrews 10:24-25), and stepping out in obedience even when it feels uncomfortable or uncertain.
Think about Abraham’s journey in Genesis 12. God called him to leave his homeland and go to a place he didn’t know. Abraham didn’t have a detailed map but stepped out in faith, trusting God’s promise. Increasing our faith often requires us to step outside our comfort zones, to trust God in the unknown, and to be willing to follow His leading even when the path ahead isn’t perfectly clear.
In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul reminds us that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). Are we actively feeding our faith with God’s Word? Are we truly listening to what He is saying and allowing it to shape our thoughts, actions, and beliefs?
The challenge before us is clear: to move beyond a stagnant, dusty faith to a vibrant, active, and ever-increasing trust in God. It’s about taking the talents we’ve been given and investing them for His Kingdom. It’s about being persistent in prayer, like the widow who refused to give up. It’s about exercising our faith through obedience, stepping out into the unknown, and trusting in His promises.
So, take a moment today and ask yourself: Is my faith gathering dust? What steps can I take, starting now, to stir it up, to strengthen it, and to allow it to truly impact my life and the world around me? The journey of faith is not meant to be a passive observation but an active and ever-deepening engagement with the living God. Let’s choose to engage fully.