Introduction
Welcome back to 8-Week Faith Challenge: Simple Daily Habits to Help You Grow Closer to God! This is part 2. Week will be going over weeks 5-8 in the challenge. If you haven’t yet, I would encourage you to read “Part 1: 8-Week Faith Challenge: Simple Daily Habits to Help You Grow Closer to God".”
Before We Begin
As we go through the challenge, it is not about perfection, it is about consistently showing up. We are human and can make mistakes or even miss a day. That is okay. If you miss a day, you can start again whether it is from the beginning or where you left off. It is important that you do not compare yourself and your journey with someone else’s. You are just where you are supposed to be. As long as you are growing and inviting God into the process, you are doing well.
What You Will Need
For this challenge, you will need:
· A Bible
· A Journal (Prayer and/or Gratitude Journal)
· A pen
· Highlighters
· 15-20 minutes a day
· A Willing Heart
Week Five – Grow through God’s Truth
Theme
Replace Lies with God’s Truth
Why Replacing Lies with God’s Truth Matters
Replacing lies with God’s Truth matters because it renews our mind and what we think. It is closely tied to our identity, which makes this week a key player in building our faith. This is good practice from the challenge from week three. What we believe has a pivotal role in our identity and faith.
Challenge
Replace any negative thoughts that you have about yourself with a truth from God’s word. Write down in your journal the lie that you think about yourself and the truth that God says about you. Start with the list below and add your own. You can now refer to the list or love letter from God to replace those thoughts as well as pull new ones from the Bible.
Why Replacing Lies with God’s Truth Grows Faith
Replacing the lies with God’s truth will help you to not only strengthen your faith because it helps you to be able to recognize the false thoughts that you may start believing about yourself or situation, help you know your true worth in Christ, help you feel free and light, and strengthen your foundation and identity in Christ.
Starter List
Lie God's Truth
I'm not enough. God's grace is sufficient.
I have no purpose. God has good works prepared for me.
I'm alone. God will never leave me.
My past defines me. I am a new creation.
Reflection Questions
What is the biggest lie that you believe about yourself?
What does God say about that lie?
Week Six – Grow through Prayer
Theme
Deepening Your Prayer Life
Why Prayer Matters
Prayer is our main source of communication to God. It is us talking to and conversing with Him. It is a key factor in building a relationship with God and deepening our faith.
Challenge
Spend daily time in prayer without distractions for a minimum of 15 minutes. During this prayer time, spend a few minutes in
· Praise
· Thanksgiving
· Repentance
· Requests
· Intercession
· Listening
Why Prayer Grows Faith
Just as prayer is the main communication that we have with God, it is the life blood of our faith. We come to Him in prayer when we need help, when we have a [praise, when we need to cry out, and when we need wisdom.
Many spend their time in prayer asking for things then closing it quickly. I used to pray like this quickly but feel a distance from God. Although this kind of prayer can be good, and even necessary in some seasons, we need more than just asking. We need to give God time in our prayers to respond. We need to thank God for the blessings, even the ones we do not see now. We need to repent for our wrong doings and sin. We also should intercede for and pray for others. After I started adding the other parts in, my faith grew, I began to see God in a whole new light and felt myself start to develop a relationship with Him.
That’s great, but how can I focus on praying with all the parts for 15 minutes?
That is a great question. It honestly depends. From my experience, journaling helps me stay on track. I also play soft instrumental Hymes and Christian music to help my mind and spirit get in a place of quietness. Sometimes I just sit in total silence. I am not perfect and often get distracted by different things. It is all through trying different things and recognizing what season you are currently in.
Scriptures to Meditate On
Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Instead of being anxious, we are to pray to God with thanksgiving and requesting. Prayer is to replace anxiety.
Mark 11:24
“Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
When we pray, we need to believe that we will receive what we have asked for.
Matthew 26:41
“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
When temptation comes, we need to pray that God will give us strength to resist the temptation.
Reflection Questions
Why is prayer important?
Where can you go to be free from distractions?
Week Seven – Grow through Community
Theme
Grow in Christian Community
Why Community Matters
Being in a community prevents isolation that keeps you vulnerable to attacks. It is one of the fastest ways to strengthen and apply our faith.
Challenge
This week’s challenge is to become involved in community.
· Join a small group.
· Attend a Bible study.
· Volunteer at church.
· Meet with one Christian friend regularly.
· Find an online Bible study if local options are limited.
Why Community Grows Faith
Community gives you a support group to build you up during trials. It gives you accountability to keep you from falling back into sin, partner in studying the Word, and to help you walk the faith. Community gives opportunity for spiritual growth by sharpening one another, creating opportunities such as group studies, teaching, worship, and prayer. In a since community sharpens us to become more Christ-like.
Scriptures to Meditate On
1 Thessalonians 5:18
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Gratitude isn't dependent on our circumstances. It is rooted in God's unchanging character.
Colossians 2:7
“Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
Gratitude is the result of growing in your faith and creating a deep strong foundation in Christ.
Romans 8:28
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Gratitude comes with knowing that all circumstances will work out for the good, even when we can’t see it in the moment.
Reflection Questions
What are three blessings you've overlooked recently?
Where have you seen God's faithfulness this week?
What prayer can you thank Him for before it is answered?
Week Eight – Grow through Reflection
Theme
Reflect on God's Faithfulness
Why Reflection Matters
Reflection turns a process into application and learning. Instead of just going through the motions and checking a box, it requires you to evaluate what you have learned, how you applied it, and what changed. It helps you reevaluate your thoughts, break patterns, and build confidence.
Challenge / Reflection Questions
Reflect on the past 7 weeks. Ponder the questions below:
· Where did you see God working?
· Which habit made the biggest impact?
· What surprised you about this journey?
· How has your relationship with God changed?
· Where have you seen God's faithfulness over the last 8 weeks?
I encourage you to continue these habits that we have built to continue growing in faith.
Why Reflection Grows Faith
As you reflect, you will be able to evaluate and see ways that God has moved, how you have changed, see where you need to improve, and where you did well in. It makes you become more aware of the moment instead of rushing to check off your time with God. It allows the this you learned from God’s Word to not just be head knowledge but heart knowledge. It gives you the opportunity to see where God has answered prayers, as well as gives you a deeper gratitude for God’s grace. How reflection helps grow faith is creating a greater reliance on God, and revealing areas of growth, leading to maturity.
Scriptures to Meditate On
Lamentations 3:40
“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.”
Look and reflect on yourself, life, and choices. Are they leading you closer to God?
Proverbs 27:19
“As water reflects the face, so the heart reflects the true man.”
What does your heart reflect? What fills your heart, things of the world or things of God? Be careful what you store in your heart, as you will reflect it in your thoughts, actions, speech, and deeds.
Conclusion
If you've completed this challenge, praise God for every step you've taken. Whether your growth feels dramatic or quiet, remember that God delights in faithful hearts. The purpose of these eight weeks was never to check off a list—it was to help you cultivate habits that draw you closer to Him.
Growth often happens slowly, like roots stretching deeper into the soil before new leaves appear. Keep seeking Him, trusting Him, and growing. God isn't finished with your story.