The Capacity of Faith

Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels and set aside the full ones.” 2 Kings 4:3-4 (NKJV)

A widow who was facing the loss of her two sons to slavery due to her debt, begged Elisha for help. All she had in her house was one jar of oil and Elisha told her to borrow as many empty jars as she could and fill them all with the oil from the first jar. Every jar she collected was filled and she was able pay her debtors off. The empty vessels that the woman gathered showed the capacity for faith and obedience. The widow started out with a little faith, (one jar), and because of her obedience, her faith grew, (many jars), and God not only took care of the creditors but provided for her future.

Just like the widow in 2 Kings 4, God asks us for just a little faith in Him. Jesus says in Matthew 17:20, "For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Faith builds upon itself and we are empty containers that need to be filled. As we trust God with the little things, our faith increases, and we start to trust God with the bigger things, until we realize that there is nothing that God can't do. By taking the leap of faith, our capacity for faith grows and our vessels are filled.

Choose to have the faith of the widow in your trials. Immerse yourself in the Word of God, seeking to see His faithfulness in the bible, and believing it for yourself. Choose to have a prayerful life, where you communicate your thoughts, concerns, and gratitude to God. Engage with other believers, listening about what God has done in their lives, while sharing what God has done for you. Keep a journal of what God has done for you, so that in your times of weakness, you can refer to them and find strength. You may start out as an empty vessel, but the capacity to fill yourself with faith is endless.