Every January I ask the Lord to give me a word for my upcoming year. My prayer is that the
Lord, knowing what is coming in the new year, would give me a word to cling onto in the new
season of life. My word for 2024 was ‘faith’.
I know the year is not over yet, but I have already experienced so many things leading to me
being reminded of the word the Lord gave me. Some of these things include financial struggles, car trouble, falling in my second trimester, postpartum health complications, and small but continual ailments in my newborn.
Along the way, some lessons about faith have become very real to me. My hope is
that they would be an encouragement to you.
First, faith is an action and a moment-by-moment choice. James 2:20 “But wilt thou know, O
vain man, that faith without works is dead?”
It is easy to say I have faith in God, but does my life bear the proof of that belief? Do I show the
fruit or works of my faith? James 2:18 “Yea, a man may say, Thou has faith, and I have works:
shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”
Can others look at my life and see my faith? Do they see me in communication with my Father?
Do they see me at peace in my soul because it rests in Him? Do they see me in my Father’s
house? Do they see me living in the way of Jesus?
Second, faith is a muscle that needs to be exercised. I have moments where my faith
feels strong and my words reveal as much. However, there are moments when my
faith is weak. The goal is not perfection. How can it be? I am human. But just as I work out my
physical muscles that slowly grow stronger, more resilient, more durable, and more effective… I
must also work out my faith muscle to grow stronger, more resilient, more durable, and more
effective for the kingdom of God.
My aim is muscle memory. During my second pregnancy, I stayed active in the gym.
Subsequently, postpartum I found it far easier to get back into it than I did when I started going
to the gym after my first baby. My muscle memory was far better this time around because I was
consistent. That is my aim for faith. I want it to be so easy for me to lean into my faith that it
comes naturally – without much thought.
Third, faith can be borrowed. Of course, when it comes to faith that is necessary for our
justification, this is something that has to be intensely personal. No one can pray you into
heaven. But the faith I’m referring to is that which is useful in our sanctification.
This faith is something that can be tested in trials. This faith is something that goes through
seasons of wavering. Again, I’m human. However, God has made a way for me in these seasons.
His design is community—family.
When life has left me filled with anxiety and feeling like I’m grasping at the hem of the garment
of my faith, this is when the family of God steps in. Many times this year, I have borrowed the
faith of my husband, my mom, or my friends. I have borrowed the strength of faith as they prayed
over me, reminded me of God’s goodness, and encouraged me to not waver in trusting God.
Friend, I pray you have people in your life who can speak to you this way. That can strengthen
your faith simply by walking through life with you. If not, pray fervently and more consistently
toward this type of gospel community. It is something I seek continually.
In closing, I hope these lessons will encourage your heart. Life is hard—very hard. But, the
silver lining is that we endure hardship with ever-present help.
A mentor of mine once said, “The call to faith is the call to adventure”. The Christian life is
absolutely a wild adventure, sometimes through treacherous terrain, but if there’s one thing I find
confidence in it is this…I know The Guide.
Written by Adrianna Bui
HannahIvelisse 