What
helps you to fan into a flame the gift of your faith?
Over the past 45 years of trusting Jesus as my Savior, the flame of my faith has sometimes been a glowing coal and other times a leaping fire. As I thought about these ebbs and flows, I realized there are a few things that have ALWAYS fanned the flame of my faith.
Fellowship with other believers is vital. Talking with them, listening to their stories of their faith journey, sharing needs and blessings—all these connections strengthen my own relationship with God and increase my faith. During those times when fellowship has been lacking, I often felt disconnected, not just from my brothers and sisters in Christ, but from God.
However, there is also a disconnect that is necessary to my faith—disconnecting from the distractions of the world. Sure, TV, Internet, texts, and calls can sidetrack us, but so can busyness fueled by the desire to look, achieve, and own what the world considers essential.
Music is a means of grace for me. On a recent Sunday, while confined to the couch with a bout of sciatica, I happened to tune into a TV program that featured the Booth Brothers, a Southern Gospel music group. For me, God can use just about any genre of music to touch my soul, and that Sunday these men certainly did. Wound through the concert were glimpses into their walks with Jesus, along with lots of good-hearted humor. It lightened the heaviness of being in pain, brought a smile to my face, and a prayer of thanks to my heart.
Although I read Scripture and pray everyday, I find that devotionals written by others can open my eyes and my soul to see God’s Word in a different perspective. They can prompt me to pray in ways I hadn’t thought about. I have several favorite devotional sites I frequent. One of my favorites is SacredSpace.ie. Another is WalkThru.org. An Internet search for daily devotions generates a plethora of sites to encourage us in our faith walk.
What fans the flames of your faith? I would love to read your comments on Facebook or through email. After all, iron sharpens iron! (Proverbs 27:17)
Be encouraged!
©2022 Pamela D. Williams Comment at writepam71@gmail.com
