How to Grow in the Christian Faith

To grow in one's faith means to develop a closer, more intimate relationship with God. The Christian journey can be exciting and deeply satisfying. There are times, however, when the Christian's faith may stagnate, and a sense of separation from God causes restlessness, doubt and apprehension. Like trying to tune into a station on the radio and receiving only static, efforts to commune with God fail to bring about a satisfying connection. Perhaps weeks or months pass when the Christian just doesn't feel that much progress is being made toward a greater understanding of God, or doesn't experience a deepening of a spirit of willingness to respond to God's leading. Every Christian struggles with these plateaus in their faith and there are time-tested disciplines that will ensure continued growth.

Prayer

Prayer is the bedrock of a Christian's relationship with God. It is through prayer that one communicates with God on a personal level. Successful prayer does not depend on a particular tone of voice, elaborate phrasing, physical posture or setting. Rather, it is achieved simply through humble, honest sharing of thoughts and feelings with God. Daily prayer is an essential part of advancing a relationship with God. It is not at all uncommon for Christians to experience periods of drought in their prayer life. Words refuse to form and even if they do, there's no sense of depth to them, no feeling of connection. These are normal growing pains for the Christian and is not something over which to get too discouraged. The key is to continue to have quiet time set aside for prayer, even if it's used simply to sit still and quietly listen. Don't give up and soon the dry spell will pass and prayer will once again become rich and rewarding.

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