"Your faith grows exceedingly,
and the love of every one of you all
abounds toward each other."
and the love of every one of you all
abounds toward each other."
2 Thessalonians 1:3
A man said to a minister, "I've been going to church all my life, but I must admit that my faith has not grown. What should I do?" The minister said, "Understand how we receive and grow in faith. It is a gift of the Spirit of God. There are three abiding gifts of the Spirit. They are faith, hope and love. They work together in our lives. The greatest is love. When we grow in God's love, faith and hope grow as well." In our verse for today, the apostle Paul recognizes the connection between faith and love.
In the letters of Paul, we see a repeated emphasis on faith, hope and love. These are referred to as the three abiding gifts of the Holy Spirit. We have the assurance of abiding in Christ through these gifts. It is God's will for us to grow in faith, hope and love. This comes through Bible study and prayer, as well as exercising the gifts in our daily lives. These gifts are like the muscles of our body. They are given to us by God, but we must exercise them to grow stronger. Because love is the greatest gift, when we grow in love, faith and hope grow as well.
The apostle commended the Christians at the church in Thessalonica for growing in faith and love. These two gifts are like the headlights on your car. The car is designed in such a way, that when you turn the lights on, both headlights shine. God has designed the Christian life in such a way that faith grows in love. I can ask you, "Are you growing in God's love?" Your answer will immediately tell me if you are growing in faith.
Father, fill our hearts with your love day after day. Then, our faith will have a place to grow, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
