A Faith That Survives the First Frost
By Lynette Kittle
Bible Reading:
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” - Hebrews 11:1
What kind of faith do we have? Does it hold fast and deepen through the seasons of life? Or, does it change like the weather? Do darker, colder days send a chill over our hearts and send us downward, with our circumstances, disappointments, failures, and losses? Likewise, do great successes and joy cause us to feel like we’re doing pretty well on our own?
What causes us to take our eyes off Jesus? Do we let unexpected life events make our faith waiver, or do we stay steadfast and draw nearer to God?
In times of distress as well as joy, James 4:8 urges, “Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
If we find our faith changing and falling off like leaves after autumn’s first frost, we’ll want to survey our hearts and minds and see what’s leading our belief and trust in God to fluctuate like the blowing wind.
As James 1:6-8 warns, “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”
Faith That Fluctuates
Jesus recognizes how, in some, faith fluctuates, asking in Luke 18:8, “…However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
The world has a way of wearing people’s faith down. Jesus explains how that happens in Matthew 24:12, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.”
As Hebrews 3:12 warns believers, “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.”
Even so, as 2 Timothy 2:13 explains, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot disown Himself.”
5 Characteristics of Surviving Faith
So what kind of faith survives through the first frost and beyond? The following is a description of the five characteristics it takes.
1. Surviving faith sets its mind on Jesus. Locking our gaze on Jesus keeps our hearts and minds set on Him. As Colossians 3:2 urges, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
As well, Hebrews 12:2 urges, “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
2. Surviving faith stays steadfast. It’s our choice when it comes to standing firm and staying steadfast in our faith. Colossians 1:23 describes what we need to do:
“If you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard, and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.”
3. Surviving faith holds onto hope. Holding onto hope keeps us from swerving back and forth in our faith. As Hebrews 10:23 urges, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.”
4. Surviving faith spreads to others. When our faith survives, it can’t stay contained within us because there is too much life in it to keep silent. Faith that survives finds ways to share with others, even while we’re still growing in it.
Acts 18:25 tells us of a passionate Jewish teacher in Ephesus named Apollos, who couldn’t keep his faith quiet, even though he was still learning and growing in his relationship with God. “He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.”
5. Surviving faith prays continually. A faith that keeps praying, takes us through the seasons of life, as Paul urges in Ephesians 6:18, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Does your faith waiver at times? If so, commit to building a surviving faith that weathers the first frost and much more.
Further Reading:
A Prayer to Deepen and Strengthen Your Faith
How did today’s devotional speak to you? Share your thoughts in the Crosswalk Devotional discussion.
Photo Credit: © Unsplash/Noah Benjamin
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com!
Listen to The Love Offering!
Encouraging you to love God, others, and yourself—one faithful step at a time.
Each week, host Rachael Adams sits down with inspiring women who are making a difference right where they are. Through honest conversations, biblical wisdom, and real-life stories, you'll be reminded that your everyday acts of love—no matter how small—matter deeply to God.
You were created to live a life of impact.
You were made to be a love offering.
Was this resource helpful? Add Christianity.com as a trusted source for Biblical content.
