Embracing a Living, Growing Faith Every Day
When I think about what it means to “build up your most holy faith,” as Jude encourages in Jude 1:20-21, I picture faith not as a one-time thing, but as a lifelong project—like tending a garden or working on a house that’s always being improved. This passage isn’t just advice to believe, but a call to actively strengthen the spiritual foundation we stand on, especially in a world full of distractions and challenges.
Faith: A Dynamic, Living Foundation
Faith isn’t meant to be something you put on a shelf and admire from a distance. It grows, changes, and deepens as we walk with God. Building up faith means making it stronger, more resilient, and more rooted in God’s truth. It’s a process—sometimes slow, sometimes stretching us—but always moving forward. Faith will have its ups and downs, but if we nurture it, it becomes a well that never runs dry.
Core Practices for Strengthening Faith
· Praying in the Holy Spirit: Prayer isn’t just reciting words; it’s inviting God’s Spirit to guide, comfort, and empower us. When we pray with the Holy Spirit’s help, even in simple, honest ways, our faith gets energized and focused.
· Studying Scripture: The Bible is like a map and a mirror. When I read it regularly—even a few verses a day—I discover new wisdom about God and myself. Scripture anchors my beliefs and corrects me when I drift.
· Staying in God’s Love: It’s easy to forget how deeply God loves us. Staying in His love means receiving that love, showing it to others, and letting it shape our choices. God’s love is the foundation that keeps us going, especially when life gets tough.
· Anticipating Christ’s Mercy: Looking forward to the mercy Jesus promises gives hope. It reminds me that my faith isn’t just about today—it’s about trusting God’s future grace and forgiveness when I fall short.
Practical Steps to Active Faith
· Fellowship: Spending time with other believers lifts me up, challenges me, and helps me see God from new perspectives. Whether it’s church, small groups, or just honest conversations, we grow best together.
· Self-Examination: I try to pause and check my heart. Am I trusting God, or just going through the motions? Honest self-reflection keeps my faith real and humble.
· Acting on Faith: Faith isn’t just believing in my head—it’s stepping out, even when I’m uncertain. That might mean serving others, forgiving someone, or trusting God with a tough decision.
· Seeking Wisdom: I ask God for wisdom, and I listen to others who have walked with Him longer. Growth comes when I’m willing to learn and change.
True Faith vs. False Faith
There’s a difference between living faith and “dead” faith. True faith is alive, expressed in love, obedience, and a desire for God. False faith is just talk, with no change in how we live—like claiming to trust a bridge but never crossing it. Genuine faith draws us closer to God and away from selfishness and sin. It’s marked by humility, compassion, and a hunger for purity.
Community, Compassion, and Accountability
We can’t build faith in isolation. We need each other—to encourage, support, and even gently correct when we stray. Real community means being honest about struggles and holding each other accountable, but always with compassion. When someone is hurting or doubts, we come alongside them, not with judgment, but with love and understanding.
Avoiding Sin and Staying Holy
Jude warns about the dangers of drifting into ungodly habits. Building holy faith means saying no to things that pull us away from God—whether it’s gossip, bitterness, dishonesty, or anything that dulls our love for Him. Holiness isn’t about perfection, but about choosing God’s way over our own, again and again.
The Journey of Growth and Resilience
Building up my holy faith is a journey, not a destination. It takes daily choices, small steps, and the patience to keep going when things are hard. But as I pray, read, love, hope, and walk with others, I find my faith growing stronger, wiser, and more able to weather life’s storms. God is faithful to finish what He started in us—and that’s the hope I hold on to, one day at a time.
Minister A Francine Green
December 2025
afrancinegreen.com 