How do I increase my faith?

[dizzy_dave]

I have prayed for some specific things in my life and they have not changed, I heard a program on the radio that said something like that could be due to a lack of faith in our prayers, how do I increase my faith, not just in prayer but all the way around?

 

[asquared]

without having any idea of the validity of the message you heard on the radio, or the credentials of the speaker, it sounds to me like the speaker is suggesting that you can manipulate God if only you have enough faith.

I would suggest your faith cannot rest on whether or not you get an answer to your prayers that is satisfactory to you, but on the reliability of God’s promise and trust in what he has revealed. You either believe God’s word or you don’t. You either believe the Catholic church has been entrusted with preserving and handing on that Word, protected and guided by the Holy Spirit, or you don’t. It is an act of the will to make that profession of faith. The rest is obedience and humility, and continuing to pray, even when there do not seem to be answers to your prayer. It also means that petition is only part of our prayer, which should begin with praise and thanksgiving, and contrition for our sins, and only then move to asking.

 

[thistle]

asquared:

without having any idea of the validity of the message you heard on the radio, or the credentials of the speaker, it sounds to me like the speaker is suggesting that you can manipulate God if only you have enough faith.

I would suggest your faith cannot rest on whether or not you get an answer to your prayers that is satisfactory to you, but on the reliability of God’s promise and trust in what he has revealed. You either believe God’s word or you don’t. You either believe the Catholic church has been entrusted with preserving and handing on that Word, protected and guided by the Holy Spirit, or you don’t. It is an act of the will to make that profession of faith. The rest is obedience and humility, and continuing to pray, even when there do not seem to be answers to your prayer. It also means that petition is only part of our prayer, which should begin with praise and thanksgiving, and contrition for our sins, and only then move to asking.

Go to this website: www.amm.org/chss/chss.htm

It is a Catholic Home Study Service. All the courses are free and they are excellent.

 

[Darrel]

dizzy_dave:

I have prayed for some specific things in my life and they have not changed, I heard a program on the radio that said something like that could be due to a lack of faith in our prayers, how do I increase my faith, not just in prayer but all the way around?

Faith is a gift from God. We can not have the slightest inclination of true belief without his help. Ask and you shall recieve, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. It all comes from God so just continue to ask and trust in his plan and timing. He accepts us where we are as a loving Father.

-D

 

[awalt]

First, God knows much better than we, what is good for us. You might want to consider praying to ask God for something, if it is in His will to do so, and if not, to reveal to you His plans. Almost anything that is even very bad, can be part of a long term plan to achieve something very good. You just don’t understand the plan.

That said, to answer your question, you faith builds through Grace from God, which you get through the Eucharist, Sacraments, and living life the way God commanded us to (being charitable, praying, etc.) This is not trying to start the “our good works” debate, but God chooses to give us grace.

I suspect this will all make more sense to you the more your faith grows, as I know for example that the Pope stated in Christfidelis Laiti that discernment is blocked by sin. Remove the sin, discernment goes better. I suspect prayer is the same way.

God bless…