Growing Faith (by Cathe Laurie)

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:2-4 NLT).

A camphor tree was planted by our sidewalk 25 years ago. Back then, it was just a sapling. A tiny little thing, surrounded by nothing but lush soil. It grew freely, nothing standing in its way. But as it aged and grew bigger and stronger, it began to encounter some obstacles—small rocks in the soil, some uneven ground to balance across. And then, as it got even bigger, it encountered an even larger foe.

The sidewalk, that wall of concrete, met the tree with a formidable amount of determination. It was unlike anything the tree had faced before: solid, structured, manmade.

If the tree had encountered the sidewalk when it was just a sapling, it might have been overwhelmed and withered away. But the tree, by that point, had grown big and strong, weathering through season after season and pushing through more and more obstacles and barriers to get to the size it was. And instead of being conquered by the concrete, it broke through. Its roots, now solid and thick, pushed right through, breaking apart that heavy obstacle with hardly a second thought.

Growing Spiritually as a Christian

In life, we grow like that tree. The more we experience, and the more God brings us through (season after season), the stronger we become, the more our roots widen and dig in deep. As we grow in age and faith, each obstacle we face builds our endurance.

 “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:2-4 NLT).

I imagine that tree didn’t give a second thought to the concrete wall of sidewalk that stood before it. It stood tall, knowing that it was stronger than anything in its path. It was so confident and secure in its own abilities that it faced the structure head-on.

How’s your faith? When you see the concrete wall, do you know, without a shadow of a doubt, that you can conquer it? Or do you cower before it, wondering why, oh why, God put it in your way?

Now, I’m not saying it’s easy. But I’m saying that each time you face an obstacle or trial, God shows up in brighter and clearer ways. And when you see how much He’s brought you through, your faith will build and grow.

It’s not an overnight process; the tree grew for years before its roots broke through. But just like that tree, be strong and know that there’s nothing you can’t handle when the Lord is on your side. You may feel like you’re facing an impenetrable wall, but He will help you break through if you put your trust in Him. He’s built you up to handle it; He knew what you needed before you ever found that sidewalk. He’s built your roots deep; now grow in overwhelming confidence and strength and face all that’s to come, knowing that you will break through.

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Cathe Laurie is the founder and director of the Virtue women’s ministry. She is also a featured speaker on The Virtue Podcast, at Harvest events, and the author of As I See It. You can find her weekly articles here on harvest.org.