eKidz Devotional: All About FaithSample

Stretchy Faith  

When you think of stretchy things, what comes to mind — rubber bands, chewing gum, elastic? 

Stretch a rubber band and it can hold a lot of stuff together. Stretch chewing gum and you can make an amazing bubble. Stretch elastic and your pants stay in place!

Just like these things were made to stretch, our faith was made to stretch, too! And stretching, or testing our faith makes us grow stronger.

When we go through tough situations — like a loss of a loved one, an argument with a friend, or an unfair punishment — our faith is tested. How will we respond? What will we believe?  

James, the brother of Jesus, says in James 1:1-3: “Consider it pure joy [...] whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

This verse doesn’t say if you face hard times; it says whenever you face them. It’s easy to trust and not doubt when things are going well, but can you trust when you’re treated unfairly or hurt deeply? 

Stretching can be uncomfortable and hard, but trusting in God’s promises such as “...He will never leave you nor forsake you… ” (Deuteronomy 31:8) will build your faith and trust in God and help you to not doubt Him.

Stretchy faith helps us hold tight to our belief that God is who He says He is and He is always with us, even during the tough times. 

Ask yourself: What is stretchy faith? Can you think of a time when you doubted God was with you?

Challenge yourself: Faith grows stronger when tested. When you’re facing difficulties, don’t swap out your faith (beliefs) just because you’re experiencing something challenging. Face it and trust that God will help you through it.

Pray: God, thank You for giving me a faith that can be tested so I can learn how to trust You. When I go through a period of stretching or doubting, help me remember that each test is making me stronger. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Want to learn more about “stretchy faith”? Check out this week’s episode of “Adventures Of The StarKeepers ”!