Faith and Fellowship
"When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.” Romans 1:12 NLT
It’s exciting to hear stories of victory, healing, and miracles that boost our faith and put a desire in our hearts to experience the same. However, the desire is alive, but sometimes we can’t see how such things will ever include “me.”
From there, worry and fear invade our thoughts, and the overthinking begins. "Maybe I didn't pray or seek Good hard enough; therefore, my level of faith isn't enough to move mountains."
During those times and more, we can all be encouraged by realizing miraculous possibilities are closer and more attainable than we think! One area we can shift our thinking and begin seeing immediate results is in our relationships with our sisters in Christ.
When Ephesians 4:16 talks about the functioning body of Christ, it gives a perfect description: “He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. “
Some may wonder, what does this verse have to do with faith? Believe it or not, it can have a lot to do with faith! That depends on us! What exactly is this faith we are referring to?
Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as this: “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”
Faith mixes belief with action and anticipates the results. In Hebrews 11:7, we read about Noah’s faith: “It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before…”
Belief in God's warning and action to save his family brought safety to Noah and his family.
What might faith look like in the 21st century for a daughter of God?
She believed God would bless her with a better job, so she filled out several job applications.
She had faith that God was going to heal her heart problems, so she stopped smoking and created a healthy eating and fitness plan for herself.
She trusted God to deliver her from her biggest temptations to sin, so she changed the music she listened to, distanced herself from friends who ignored her convictions, and committed to attending church faithfully.
And now, let’s discuss how each of us plays a crucial role in helping our sisters in Christ increase their faith while they lift our faith, too! The children of God are family, not meant to walk this journey of life alone. We each have responsibilities toward our fellow Christians!
Colossians 3:16 gives us personal instruction: “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives."
Hebrews 10:24 additionally says, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.”
Ephesians 4:16 (shared above) reminds us that we each play a part in the spiritual health of our Christian family. Along with other areas of Christian living we participate in, an abundance of wisdom is ready to be shared by those who have walked through difficult circumstances, sickness, times of uncertainty, and more. This is where faith can take root and grow!
How might that look today?
You may be facing the same type of trial I faced two months ago, and I can tell you how to remain strong and come through to victory! Without sharing my experience and giving you helpful advice, you may repeat mistakes I made and struggle longer than necessary. What I could have dismissed as unimportant might have actually been a word from the Lord.
I may be discouraged in my walk with the Lord, and you call or visit me, offering a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, and prayer before you leave. Without your encouragement and expressing your concerns for me, I may feel alone and succumb to spiritually giving up. You could have felt awkward offering to pray with me, but actually answered my prayer to God, asking if there was anyone who cared.
A sister in the Lord may have lost her job and has very little food for her children. You believe God will supply her need and put action to your faith by delivering two weeks of groceries to her home. By ignoring a need when I can help someone, a family facing unfortunate circumstances will suffer, and I passed up an opportunity to put my faith in action and encourage my sister in the Lord that better days are coming. You may not have realized that what you did wasn’t just an act of love. It could be that your sister just prayed, “God, we have enough food for one more meal. Won’t You help us?” and you were the instrument He used for her miracle.
Are we truly aware of how much impact we can have on our sisters? Younger women may find inspiration in testimonies about healings and victories from older women. Older women may find renewed faith in the joy and optimism in the younger generation of sisters.
Ladies, our interactions and fellowship with each other are essential. When our eyes are opened to this truth, and we begin to have faith in God’s desire to use us, what we thought was unattainable will unfold before our very eyes.
Let’s activate our faith today and watch God give us a grand display of His power!