Faith is not a complicated church word.
What Is Faith?
Faith cannot be forced. In the picture of the child standing in the dark, the trusted voice can say, “Jump. I’ll catch you,” but the child still chooses whether to jump. In the same way, Jesus invites you to trust Him. He does not force you. Faith is choosing to place your trust in Him even when you cannot see everything ahead.
Faith is trusting Jesus even when you cannot see what comes next.
A Simple Picture of Faith
Imagine a little child standing at the top of a staircase in the dark. The child cannot see what is at the bottom.
Then the child hears the familiar voice of someone they know, love, and trust saying, “Jump. I’ve got you. I’ll catch you.”
The child cannot see that person’s arms. The child cannot see exactly where they will land. But they recognize the voice. They know this person loves them. They know this person has been trustworthy before. And they believe the promise: “I’ll catch you.”
So the child jumps.
Faith in Jesus Is Trusting the One Who Made the Promise
Having faith in Jesus does not mean you understand everything. It does not mean you will never be afraid. It does not mean you will never have questions or that you will always know what is going to happen next.
Faith means trusting Jesus enough to place yourself in His hands even when you cannot see His arms waiting to catch you.
You may not be able to physically see Jesus standing in front of you. But you can learn who He is through the Bible, see what He has promised, and choose to trust Him.
Faith is not pretending that the staircase is not dark. Faith is trusting the One who is there with you in the darkness.
What Does Faith Sound Like?
Sometimes faith is a very simple prayer:
“Jesus, I cannot see what is going to happen. I do not understand all of this. I may be scared, but I believe You love me. I am putting myself in Your hands. Please lead me, help me, and hold on to me.”
You do not need perfect words. You do not need perfect understanding. You are trusting Jesus, not trusting your ability to explain everything.
What If My Faith Feels Small?
Jesus spoke about faith as small as a grain of mustard seed. Small faith placed in a trustworthy Savior is still faith.
You do not have to manufacture enormous faith before you come to Jesus. Start with the faith you have. Tell Him your doubts, your fears, and your questions. Ask Him to help you trust Him.
Faith Is More Than Just Knowing Facts
You can know facts about Jesus without actually trusting Him. Faith goes one step further. It means depending on Him personally.
It is the difference between knowing that a person could catch you and actually jumping because you trust that they will.
Christian faith is not faith in faith itself. The object of our faith is Jesus Christ.
Faith does not earn being saved. Being Saved is God’s gift. Faith is receiving that gift by trusting Jesus Christ.
You Can Begin Right Where You Are
If you are unsure whether your faith is strong enough, start by being honest with Jesus. You can say, “Jesus, I want to trust You. Help me trust You.”
Meet Jesus · Learn how to pray · Learn about being saved · Learn about fight against spiritual evil and the Armor of God