Even the small steps we make to follow God strengthen our faith.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:1-6

It’s the Lord’s desire that we walk by faith. Yet if we each consider our life honestly, most of us will find a number of areas where it’s a struggle to trust Him.

Thankfully, our heavenly Father is patient and loving. His Word clearly teaches that sanctification is the process of making us holy, not just the end result. Children are a great illustration of how this works. When toddlers learn to walk, they start by pulling up on something, standing, and then taking a step. At first, they inevitably fall, at which point we help them back up so they can keep progressing. In the same way, God shows us how to live according to our faith in Him, but we’ll make mistakes. Falling and getting up again are part of the learning process (John 21:15-17).

The Holy Spirit teaches us, but our responsibility is to study Scripture in order to get to know God’s nature and learn His promises. As we do these things, our confidence in Him grows, and we lean on Him more.

Consider the responses, actions, and decisions you’ve made in the past few days. How many of those were led by the Spirit? Living on the basis of trust in Christ requires belief and action. As you allow Him to lead, faith will grow.