10 Verses from James to Deepen Your Faith
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We knew the day was coming soon when we would have to say goodbye to my dad. His cancer had taken his voice, his ability to live a quality life, and every bit of strength he had left. When we got the call, for a moment time seemed to stop. Death has a way of making us face the reality of our fears and our faith. It takes us to a place where we see the reality of eternity and the hope of a future in heaven.
Things like death, or circumstances that bring grief in strong waves, or pain that feels unbearable, causes us to either lean into faith or push away from it. The book of James in the New Testament gives us a glimpse into what it looks like to lean hard into a deeper life of faith. My 5-week Bible Study, James: Tired, Tested, Torn, and Full of Faith walks through James to discover how to live full of faith even when you don’t feel like it.
If you want to strengthen your faith muscles and walk confidently through your next trial full of faith, here are 10 few verses from James to get you started:
1. James 1:2-3
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”
Right from the start of his letter to the believers throughout Israel, James offers a bold statement: the tests of life have potential to produce a work of faith in a Christian’s life. Life can be downright difficult and the thought of having to work through another struggle or another trial can feel almost impossible at times. But James reminds us, these things that happen to us are not to harm us but rather to help us grow deeper in our faith. It’s up to us to choose joy in the waiting.
2. James 1:5
“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.”
Have you ever felt like you just don’t know what to do next? James knew the church was walking through some stuff in which they would need wisdom and guidance. James gives another bold statement here in James 1:5, stating that God gives wisdom freely when His children ask for it. I encourage you as you walk this road of deeper faith to simply ask God. Sometimes we complicate it and wonder, but how? There is no magic prescription for prayer, but we do find a good example from Jesus in Luke 11 when the disciples ask Him, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
3. James 1:17
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
When everything around us seems to be changing, James gives a strong encouragement to remember the one who never changes, and never fails. Not only that, but God is ready and waiting to give good gifts to His children. While Jesus was the greatest gift ever given, James says, there is more. God gives His children what they need. Sometimes that looks like peace, and sometimes it looks like a piece of land or physical possessions. But no matter what, James wants us all to know the good things we receive – whether physical or spiritual – are all gifts from one source: the Father of everything, God Himself. Look around your life both inside and out and make a list of all the gifts from God.
4. James 1:22
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
We come to this portion of James towards the end of chapter one when James starts giving instructions according to all the people have already learned. He warns them, and us, to not just know the truth but apply it. If we know the truth and actually apply it, James says that person is blessed. “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25). If we know God is working, and we know God provides, and we know God answers prayer, we should live as though He is absolutely doing those things. Because He is! This is faith. It’s living what you say you believe. When we live like that, we receive the blessing of deeper faith.
5. James 2:8
“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well.”
James is an interesting writer. He pairs encouragement with instruction and gives us much homework to do right now. In this verse he offers the instruction to love others. Not just tolerate or put up with, but love. Love is the choice to lift someone else up above yourself and give whatever they need over your own needs. While we might have needs too, James says if you really want to live out your faith, learn to love others well. Who in your life can you show love to today?
6. James 2:18
“But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
This might be my favorite verse in James. It’s as if James is showing the two different types of people when it comes to faith. One talks about faith. One lives out their faith. And he is very clear that true faith lives. It’s not enough to say I have faith in God, or I believe in Jesus. He says, true faith will be known by the fruit of the faith. If you are struggling to ignite your faith or you feel like your faith is lost, start taking action on what you know to be true. God’s Word gives us truth. A good first step would be to open the Bible and begin to read, not just to know about it, but to apply it to your life today.
7. James 2:26
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
James is declaring again that faith is meaningless if it is inactive. For us, it simply means don’t say you have faith and take no action or steps toward what God is calling you to. If you feel led, go! If you feel prompted, take the step! We might not always have all the answers or be able to foresee the outcome, but what we can do it trust God’s voice and direction and move as He directs. This is faith that is alive and powerful! It might mean you take the job even though you don’t have every detail figured out. It might be you step toward the goal even though it is unclear how to ultimately reach the goal. It might mean you wait patiently on God’s timing knowing He has not opened the door yet. Or perhaps God has said walk through the door that has been open for a long time, but your fear has paralyzed you. It’s time to let your faith be revived. All of these decisions prove an active faith life.
8. James 3:17
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”
You might wonder why we once again are visiting the topic of wisdom as we talk about faith. James makes it clear; faith requires a believer to exercise some wisdom. And wisdom that is holy is represented according to the characteristics found in these verses. James is saying if you want to have a faith that shines, that soars, that acts faithful and is ready to take it to the next level, there are some tried and true identifiers of a person like that: pure, filled with peace, gentle, able to get along, merciful, and steady in word and deed. If you are feeling unstable, go back to James 1:5 and seek God for the answers you need because He wants to answer you.
9. James 4:8
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
This isn’t the first time we see the word, “double-minded” from James. In James 1:8 he says, “He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” Both James 1:8 and James 4:8 are both referring to the people who say one thing but do another. James is boldly declaring, don’t do that! Be confident to trust God and then let your actions prove you are trusting Him. This might look like faithfully taking the next step in a project, or simply going to church each week even when it is difficult. It could be continuing to work on a relationship even when it is complicated or following through on your word and doing what you said you would. Whatever it is, James says be single-minded on Christ and you will find yourself in the right place wisely moving in the direction of pure faith.
10. James 5:13
“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.”
I love how James ends his letter. It’s simple yet profound and deeply impactful. He calls those who are hurting and those who are happy to prayer. This is you and this is me in every season, in every moment. James simply says pray. We can often complicate what God simplifies. Here it is clear. If you want deeper faith, pray. If you want to hear from God, pray. If you need an answer, pray. And my favorite of all is found in James 5:18 when Elijah, “prayed again.
I don’t know what it is that has you needing more faith, but I encourage you to pray again. And if you feel like you can’t take anymore, check out my Bible Study on James and be challenged and encouraged to live full of faith even when you don’t feel like it.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Sinenkiy
Micah Maddox is a wife, mama, friend, Bible teacher, and author of a James: Tired, Tested, Torn, and Full of Faith. You can find encouraging resources FREE HERE! Micah is passionate about helping women learn what it truly means to daily walk with Jesus. She is on the Proverbs 31 Ministries First 5 Writing Team and writes for Encouragement From Women. Her main ministry is at home with her husband, Rob, who leads worship at Clear Springs Baptist Church in East Tennessee, and with her five children, some by birth, and some by adoption. Micah's heart for her local church is what fuels her desire to keep writing, teaching, and serving. Micah loves to give a voice to hurting hearts and writes and speaks to the one who needs encouragement. You can connect with her on Instagram or micahmaddox.com.