How does one get more faith? I have heard so many opinions about this. Here are a few:
Daily mass will feed us with the body of Christ and this will give us more of Him and greater faith.
Faith comes by hearing the word of God.
Faith as small as a mustard seed is all it takes to move mountains.
Faith comes by quiet meditation, acceptance, and submission.
Faith grows stronger through loss and suffering.
Faith can bring about miracles in our lives … just trust and obey.
Step out in faith, even when you don’t have it yet … and it will come.
These are some paths to faith. It comes and goes in my own life … like the rain. I once had a dear friend who told me that when you are feeling empty and very low on faith, it is because you are getting a bigger pitcher. Okay, bear with me. She said that we have this imaginary pitcher of water (faith) and we carry it around and pour it out for ourselves and others. We share our faith wherever we go. But sometimes … God decides that we just need to have a bigger pitcher. So he takes the smaller pitcher that we have full of water and gives us this bigger, newer, empty pitcher. Suddenly … we are very aware that we are plum out of faith. We are empty. Don’t panic, says my friend … you’ve just received a bigger pitcher. Give it some time and soon you will have it full of water (faith) once again.
This has been a helpful explanation to deal with those dry, desert-like periods in my life when I just don’t feel God’s spirit or his hand working in my life. I feel drained, tired, and impatient. And God is not there to reassure me. During those times, I conjure up the image of my smaller, full pitcher of water being replaced with this much bigger, emptier new pitcher. I know I have to be patient. There is some work God needs to do in me to help me receive an abundance of fresh water.
So faith is like receiving a new pitcher of water. Wait it out. And remember the song: Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles … they shall run and not be weary, they walk and not faint … teach me Lord, teach me Lord to wait.
Now that takes faith!
