What is faith? A Google search says, “A complete trust and confidence in someone or something.” Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Overtime I have come to understand Hebrews 11:1, confidence and assurance in our Lord and His promises. That statement is simple faith to me. It is not mixed with religious practices or denominational differences. It is simply being confident and assured in “what we hope for…what we do not see”. What complicates faith is the opposite, not being confident and sure of what lies ahead. Wanting to believe, but not completely sure.
Our faith in the beginning is a gift from God. Jesus said in John 6:44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws them.” Without God’s grace opening our minds to His truth we cannot have faith in Jesus. However, as we spend time in our Christian walk, our faith grows because we have experienced His answers to concerns along the way.
I have found my need to attempt to control issues in the future is really my lack of faith that God is already there. To paraphrase Yoda, the great philosopher from Star Wars, “You either have faith or do not have faith, there is no trying to have faith”. I either let the Holy Spirit guide me or I no longer have simple faith.
Jesus made a clear definition of the simple faith we are called to in Luke 9:23, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
“Deny themselves.” The Christian life is not about me. It is about glorifying God in all I do.
“Take up their cross.” A cross was an instrument of death. I must “die” daily to myself. Become His bond servant.
“Follow me.” When I am surrendered and following Him, faith is a simple thing.
Another clear statement Jesus made about the Christian faith was when He gave His answer to the question asking what the greatest commandments are. Matthew 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
All the Law and all the Prophets said hang on these two commandments. To me, that means if we love God and others with all our heart, soul and mind we will naturally live to glorify God. That is simple faith. Not a list of do’s and don’ts. It is the condition of your heart. It is the Fruit of the Spirit coming through you that Paul wrote about in Galatians 5:22-23.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
The Fruit of the Holy Spirit in my life, not the fruit of Tom trying harder. Just simply letting the Holy Spirit guide me, having faith He will lead me in God’s plan. When I leave control in His hands, faith is simple. It is when I try to be in control of my life that the Christian life seems hard.
Jesus said, “I assure you that whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it”. (Matt 10:13-15; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17)
I think these passages are glossed over most of the time. People were bringing their children to Jesus to have Him bless them. The Disciples tried to stop them assuming Jesus had more important people to minister to. Jesus then rebuked the Disciples and let the children come to Him and sit by Him. I think most of the time the passage is seen as Jesus being kind to children. Obviously, He was, but was that His message to the crowd? I have come to believe this is a statement of simple faith, no doubt in Jesus, His words, His Kingdom, and His promise. So much of scripture has a double meaning.
So how does a child receive the Kingdom of God? What kind of faith does a child have? Who do you think the children thought Jesus was? We read these passages 2000 years later with the “vision of history” on our side. These were kids brought to a nice man to set on His lap and have Him talk to them. Their parents were followers of Jesus, but the children were just there with their parents. Was Jesus talking about the children receiving the Kingdom of God?
The children were very comfortable talking to this gentle man. His countenance made them feel very safe. His words were comforting. They “received” Him openly. But Jesus was talking about the Kingdom. He was saying it takes faith like a child to enter the Kingdom.
What creates that faith? Think about a child raised by loving, caring, nurturing parents. There is no doubt in their mind that their needs will be taken care of. In fact, they don’t even think about it. It is a given. How many times have we seen a father throw his toddler in the air and catch them again? The child laughs with delight. They have no fear of falling. They know their father will catch them. They have total faith, the faith of a child.
Do you have faith like a child? Do you ever worry about your Heavenly Father “dropping you”? I think our first reaction to this question would be to say we don’t believe He will drop us but, if that is true, why do we hold on so tightly to the “things of this world”?
Faith like a child allows us to have no fear of the unknown and no worry about the future. If we have faith like a child, we know we will not “fall”. Then we will have “eyes” to see the Kingdom all around us. Jesus was saying if you don’t have that kind of faith, faith like a child, you will never enter the Kingdom. You either believe Him or you don’t. There is no middle ground. That is simple faith.
Christian Life Coach 