I’m noticing all the asking in the book of Matthew. It’s not the verb that stumps me, though. It’s the word “faith.” In particular, it’s this verse from Matthew 21: “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
I’ve been thinking about what it means to have this prayer-answering faith and how to increase my faith.
I know that God assigns a certain measure of faith to people (Romans 12) but that our faith can grow (2 Thessalonians 1:3). I know that our faith comes from hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). I know faith is something given by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:9). I know, most importantly that Jesus is the “founder and perfecter” of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). We look to Jesus and our faith grows. Faith also grows in the good deeds we do (James 2:17). I know our faith is tested so it might grow (1 Peter 1:7).
As I think about growing my faith in prayer specifically, I thank God for giving me the Bible to help my faith grow. I thank God for the trials and opportunities to serve that help faith grow. I look more and more at Jesus and see my faith grow. It seems that every situation becomes an opportunity to help our faith grow. What a different way to see our situation!
I pray God increases our faith in prayer. May we say at the end of January that it was a month our faith in prayer grew.