How can your faith increase if it is never tried and tested? If you desire great faith, you will be tested accordingly. James wrote in chapter 1:
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Do you really want to be perfect and complete? Then you must expect your faith to be challenged by trials coming your way. Instead of running from the trials and crying out to FATHER hoping HE will provide you with an avenue of escape, ask HIM what to do and how to do it in order to overcome the trial. Be patient and seek HIS Face. As you do, HE will guide you to and through the solution to the trial at hand.
James continues:
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
When Love communicates Wisdom, it will often go against man’s soulish wisdom. As an example, I know of many instances where the solution to a lack of funds was to give. Huh? Why should I give if I will end up with less money than before? FATHER placed the law of seedtime and harvest to deal with issues of this nature. If you plant an appropriate seed, you can expect a harvest and have that seed multiplied. When you plant you must realize that it is FATHER WHO will be the source of increase. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians chapter 3:
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but GOD gave the increase.
7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.
8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
Every farmer understands this law or he wouldn’t be a farmer. You must have seed to plant in order to reap a harvest. Many of you have eaten the seed which should have been planted. When you seek FATHER’S Wisdom, HE will instruct you what seed to plant and where to plant it. In some situations you might find yourself in, prayer and fasting are necessary in order to clearly hear. Why? Your mind, will, and emotions will attempt to override any Word you hear because your ego thinks it knows best what to do in order to survive. James brings this issue to light, continuing in chapter 1:
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
If you allow your mind to reason and analyze the situation rather than hear from FATHER, don’t expect to receive the solution to the problem. We have all had past failures in this area so don’t beat yourself up. I look back at my own life and see where I failed to walk in HIS Wisdom and this is where HIS great Grace and Mercy enter in. HE knows our weaknesses and HIS Love is greater than any of our shortcomings. Simply repent and move on.
Focus on HIS Word in the area of your failure and learn from your past mistakes. These trials should cause us to grow in faith, not live a life of defeat. Know that FATHER’S Wisdom and resources are greater than any trial you find yourself in. HE designed you to grow and mature in all areas, don’t let yourself be double-minded but instead be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.