To understand how to grow faith, one must understand what faith is for. Many times, we hear of people praying and receiving things that they have prayed for, this does help faith grow, but this is not a sustainable method of growing faith or measuring how much faith you have. If this was a mathematical formula it would be represented as this, Prayer + Received Request = Faith, thus the greater the prayer and greater the request fulfillment causes one to have greater faith. Many of us, and I find myself doing this a lot, equate faith with answered or unanswered prayers (ie. fulfilled desires, world catastrophes, military successes, etc). Many reason that since there are catastrophes, murders, or all manner of evil doers, that there could be no God, or a loving God would not allow such things to happen. This falls under the equation, what I think should happen - what actually happens = the existence of a god. God could not exist under this equation. The weather is never right, or the way everyone wants it; it’s too cold, it’s too hot, not enough rain, too much rain etc. The conditions could be right for one person but miserable for another that is close by. If the answer is not about results from a prayer or what we think should happen, then what is it that we are having faith for?
Early in the Book of Mormon, the answer is given. Lehi has a dream where he partakes of the fruit of a tree that is “desirable above all other fruit” (1 Nephi 8:12). Lehi describes how this fruit affected him,
“I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy. And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen. And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also.” 1 Nephi 8 10-12
Lehi saw that to gain access to this tree with the most desirable of all other fruit was a narrow path with a rod of iron leading the way forward. One had to grip to the iron rod to make it to the tree. Later, after Lehi tells his family of this dream, Nephi prays to find the answers for himself. 1 Nephi 11:25 gives the answer: “the rod of iron . . . was the word of God, which led . . . to the tree of life; . . . the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.” Previously stated by the angel speaking to Nephi, he describes the tree as “most joyous to the soul” (1 Nephi 11:24). John wrote it simplistically, “whoso keepeth his [God’s] word, in him [followers of God’s commandments] verily is the love of God” (John 2:5). Previously I wrote that Jesus and Alma likened the “word” to a seed, therefore it becomes very significant that Jesus states, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them,” He is explaining that when one follows the word of God then they will bring forth the love of God (Matthew 7:20).
Knowing the word of God leads to the love of God is part of the formula for building faith, however there is one key variable missing: Action. For one to grow faith they need to do the word of God. Jesus states, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:17). Jesus’s life was centered around one thing, doing the will of Heavenly Father. He showed how to do Heavenly Father’s will. He is a perfect example.
To keep with the analogy of the word being a seed; for a seed to sprout and grow it needs water and good ground in which to grow. I will liken faith to a potted plant inside one’s home. The only way for the plant to obtain water is by the owner taking water from the faucet and pouring it into the pot. For the plant to continue to grow, the plant needs to be repotted and have good soil or fertilizer mixed in with the dirt. The plant will drink the water that it is given, it will use the nutrients that are present. When the dirt is dry and the nutrients are used up, the plant will need more, or it will wither away and die. Action by the owner of the potted plant must happen. If we have the mind set of “maybe I should feed the plant,” or “I could or would feed it if I had time, money, desire, etc.” the plant will never get the nutrients and water it needs. Should, would, and could are thoughts, they are not attempts to do anything. These words lack commitment and are excuses if something fails. They are regrets and bring only disappointment. How happy are you when you have an inside plant that you have nurtured, and it begins to bloom or looks healthy? Most would be very happy.
The example of the potted plant shows how faith works, there is passive faith and active faith. Passive faith knows that if you water and nurture a seed it will grow. Knowing is not doing. I can know something yet still not do it. I have had many potted plants die because I failed to water them. Knowing what to do and wishing they would survive without doing what is required will bring the same results over and over again, the plants will not grow, and they will die. Active faith is knowing and doing what is required.
When all elements of the faith equation are present, then the results will be the same: Knowing the Word of God + Doing the Word of God = Receiving the Love of God. The seed must be from the Word of God or it will produce fruit that is not the Love of God. If one knows the word of God, but does contrary to the word, then there will be no fruit. If the seed is something else, the action is something else, then the fruit will be “wild” or anything but the Love of God. Thus fulfilling Jesus’ quote, “by their fruits ye shall know them” (John 13:17).
Finally, it is important to remember the result of what faith brings, not what we want it to bring. Doing the word of God does not mean you will receive money, fame, worldly success, power, cars, big houses, etc. It only means you will receive the love of God. Anything else received are just bonus blessings. If you expect more than the love of God, and do not receive it, you can lose sight of what really is important and lose the love of God in your life. Therefore, experiencing the love of God grows and strengthens your personal faith in the word of God. Learning and doing the word of God is the water and nutrients to grow the word of God within yourselves, thus bringing forth more fruit, or more experiences of the Love of God.
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