Have more faith!

How many times have I heard that phrase? Not only been said to me but heard of it been said to others. Ironically sometimes said to those who have ‘more faith’ than the person who has said it. Was kinda listening to a series on 1 Peter at our recent Student Leadership Conference. And during one of the talks, PW talked about how we need to say to people to have hope rather than to have more faith. Telling people to have more faith doesn’t really help someone or encourage them. Instead it usually is more discouraging. Rather to have hope – hope in something (or someone) that is bigger than us is more reassuring.

I’ll have to agree with that. Telling someone to have more faith can be quite condescending. And in someways judgemental. It implies that the person doesn’t have enough faith (what is enough faith anyway, and how much more faith to have?) To have hope is to look beyond yourself, and placing trust in God. And in my understanding, hope doesn’t everything has to turn out sweet and dandy. But more that there will be an end to the situation or circumstance. Don’t really know how to explain it, but it has more depth than telling someone to have more faith. And definitely more uplifting. After all, that is what I think following Jesus is about. Not about having more faith. But in the hope that lies before us. What is the nature of this hope? Not sure. But that is part of the mystery of Jesus.