The Gift of Faith
by Brent Steinke
I’ve spent over 17 years walking alongside teens and young adults, and if there’s one thing I’ve seen again and again, it’s how deeply parents long for their kids to love and follow Jesus. It’s a beautiful desire—one that comes from a place of deep love. Because of that, I often hear the phrase, “They need to make their faith their own.” I understand what people mean when they say it. We all want our kids (and really, anyone we love) to have a real, personal relationship with God—not something borrowed or just going through the motions. But over time, I’ve started to pause at that phrase and think more carefully about what it might unintentionally communicate.
Recently, I read an article that helped put words to something I’ve been sensing for a while. The author pointed out how that phrase can subtly shift the focus—making it sound like faith is something we have to generate ourselves, instead of something God gives. And I’ve realized… that’s exactly the tension. It can start to sound like if we try hard enough, feel ready enough, or get to the right place spiritually, then we can finally “own” our faith.
But Scripture reminds us of something far more freeing: Salvation belongs to the Lord and our faith is a gift from Him. Yes, each of us is invited to trust in Christ personally. But that trust doesn’t originate from our own effort or determination. It’s something God awakens in us. He is the one who draws us, opens our eyes, and softens our hearts.
And honestly, that changes everything. Because if faith depended on me—on my consistency, my understanding, or my ability to “get it right”—I’d constantly wonder if I was doing enough. But when I remember that God is the one at work, it takes the pressure off. It shifts my focus from striving to trusting.
I’ve also come to see how much faith is shaped in the context of relationships. None of us come to know Jesus in isolation. God uses people—parents, grandparents, friends, mentors—to point us to Him. I think about Timothy, a young man mentored by the apostle Paul, whose faith was nurtured by his mom and grandmother (2 Tim. 1:5–6). Or the countless moments I’ve watched someone’s faith grow simply because they were surrounded by people who loved Jesus and lived it out in real, everyday ways.
That’s such an encouragement to me. It means our role isn’t to force or manufacture faith in someone else. It’s to faithfully show up—to model it, to talk about it, to live it out—and trust that God is doing the deeper work we can’t see. So instead of feeling like we have to push someone to “make their faith their own,” maybe it’s simpler than that. We point them to Jesus. We pray for them. And we trust that He is more committed to their faith than we could ever be.
How can you live out your everyday faith in the middle of what you’re facing today?
For prayer or encouragement, connect with Kate Dodd, Director of Care, at Kate@centerchurch.live.
