Social media, news articles, and books offer example after example of faithfulness (or a lack thereof). We hear stories of football players supporting a teammate after a devastating injury, spouses supporting each other through long-term illnesses, women abandoning their home country to follow their mother-in-law (Ruth 1), and tales of friendships that have endured the greatest joys and the deepest trials without splintering. As followers of Jesus Christ, we should heed God’s command to have the fruit of faithfulness present in our lives, but how do we cultivate it? Scripture helps us understand what faithfulness is, as well as why and how we should cultivate it as we aim to follow Christ.
What Is Faithfulness?
Faithfulness is defined as “steadfast in affection or allegiance,” “firm in adherence to promises,” “given with strong assurance,” and “true to the facts.”1 When a believer’s life is marked by faithfulness, they are steadfast, firm, assuring, honest and consistent. In Galatians 5:22-23, the apostle Paul writes,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Because faithfulness is listed in the Bible, that means it’s important for our Christian witness that we cultivate faithfulness. Why and how should we cultivate faithfulness?
Why Should Christians Cultivate Faithfulness?
Scripture offers us a few reasons why we should cultivate faithfulness: it is commanded by God, sets an example of God’s character, and demonstrates trustworthiness to others. Faithfulness is clearly commended as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. Even in the midst of a fear-ridden, unfaithful, inconsistent culture, followers of Jesus Christ are to be marked by faithfulness, steadfastly and consistently trusting God and pursuing good.
Not only should we cultivate faithfulness because God instructs us to, but because God himself is faithful, so our faithfulness is an (imperfect) example of God’s faithfulness before others. In Exodus 34, we read that God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (v. 6). The psalmist reminds us that God’s paths are “steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ps. 25:10) and God does all of his work in faithfulness (Ps. 33:4), so great and grandiose that it extends “to the clouds” (Ps. 36:5). God, in his nature, is faithful, and all he does is done out of faithfulness—being steadfast, firm, assuring, honest and consistent—on behalf of his glory and the good of his people.
Throughout Scripture, we read of imperfect examples of people who lived faithfully before others in order to demonstrate God’s faithfulness. These examples include Moses, who was faithful in his service to God (Heb. 3:2-5); Samuel, who faithfully ministered to Israel as priest (1 Sam. 3:1-20); King David, who faithfully served Israel as king (1 Sam. 22:14); and Daniel, who faithfully stood firm in his faith and convictions, even as worldly leaders threatened to kill him (Dan. 6). Each of these examples from Scripture serve as an example to us today as we seek to obey God’s command to mirror his faithfulness before others.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we should delight in and be eager to pursue faithfulness, as it demonstrates our trustworthiness and reliability to others, whether our family members, friends, coworkers, and others around us. Let’s take a look at a few particular ways we can cultivate faithfulness in our lives, demonstrating our trustworthiness and reliability to others.
How Can Christians Cultivate Faithfulness?
There are some practical, yet deeply helpful ways we can work to cultivate the fruit of faithfulness in our lives, including learning from God, avoiding overcommitment, demonstrating reliability and consistency in current commitments, learning from others’ example, and receiving accountability.
First and foremost, we should be quick to learn from God and the examples set before us in Scripture (like the ones previously mentioned). These examples should cause us to prayerfully consider particular changes we might need to make in order to set a more faithful example before others.
Another way to cultivate faithfulness is to avoid over committing to things. I know it’s all too tempting to never say “no” and commit to everything because it all sounds so exciting. However, when we overcommit to things, our time and focus will be divided, making it nearly impossible to give full effort, attention, and commitment to a particular activity. I encourage you to consider your commitments wisely before making a decision. Will you be able to fully commit to this new opportunity, or is there a large chance you’ll be unable to fully engage and participate due to other events and commitments already on your calendar?
This leads into a third aspect of cultivating faithfulness, which is the importance of reliability and consistency in your current commitments. If you’ve committed to attending book club twice a month, attend it! If you’ve committed to volunteering in your child’s classroom once a month, follow through! Being consistent in your current commitments demonstrates that you are reliable, committed to following through in the things you’ve committed to.
Another crucial aspect of cultivating faithfulness is learning from other’s example, whether in Scripture or in the lives of other believers around you. Some of the greatest examples of faithfulness I’ve experienced in my own life include my grandpa, who retired early to care for my grandma as she suffered from early-onset Alzheimer’s, as well as the lives of many of my friends who are stay at home mom’s. The task of caring for a cognitively-declining spouse, running a home, or caring for young children is often thankless, and yet requires great steadfastness and resolve to never give up, despite challenges.
Finally, as you seek to cultivate faithfulness, seek accountability! One of my greatest accountability partners is my husband. He is aware of my commitments and, when I’m presented with another possible commitment, helps me evaluate my schedule in order to consider if I can faithfully, and consistently contribute. Whether your accountability comes through your spouse, parent, coworker, or friend, be sure to listen to the wise voices of those you trust as you evaluate your commitments. These are just a few methods to implement as you cultivate faithfulness in your life. A combination of them, or just one at a time, has been extremely beneficial to me as I’ve sought to be a more faithful, steadfast, and reliable follower of Jesus Christ and an example of faithfulness to others.
Followers of Christ are called to a lifelong pursuit of faithfulness before God and others. As you consider God’s instructions and the examples set before you in Scripture, take time today to consider how you might prayerfully begin to cultivate faithfulness as you continue on your journey of sanctification. Like any aspect of sanctification, the road is not always easy, but growth is always worthwhile, as it honors God and strengthens your witness.
Application Questions:
- As you read Scripture, what is your understanding of the meaning of faithfulness?
- What examples of faithfulness motivate and inspire you, either from Scripture or stories you’ve heard throughout your life?
- In what areas of your life are you specifically seeking to develop faithfulness?
- Which of the five tips for cultivating faithfulness would be a helpful first step?
- How will you go about implementing this? Brainstorm some ideas of how you can implement this and begin to make progress.
Footnotes:
Photo credit: Ashley Kate Miller
Leah Jolly is a graduate of Wheaton College where she studied international relations and Spanish. She lives in the Grand Rapids area with her husband, Logan, and is pursuing her MDiv at Calvin Theological Seminary. She attends Harvest OPC in Wyoming, Michigan. You can connect with Leah on Instagram and Substack.
