Faith is the Answer

October 3, 2023

Four times in the gospel of Matthew Jesus says these words: “You of little faith!”  A lack of faith is the root cause of many of our problems in this life.  What help, what joy we could find if we would learn to trust our Heavenly Father and rest in His promises.

Faith is the answer to worry and anxiety.  Jesus tells us that we can stop worrying about our lives—even the necessities of life—because our Father will take care of us.  Listen to these words of Jesus: “But if God so clothes the grass of the field… will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!” (Matthew 6:30 NAS95) We all struggle with worry at times.  What is the cause? Jesus goes right to the heart of the problem.  It is a matter of faith.  When we let worry overcome us it is because we do not believe that God knows about our needs, or that God does not care, or that God is unable to help.  If we would turn to Him in faith, knowing that He does know, He does care, and He is able, it would help us to overcome our worries.

Faith is the answer to fear.  When a great storm arose on the sea so that the boat the disciples were in was about to sink, they came to Jesus and said, “‘Save us, Lord; we are perishing!’ He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?’” (Matthew 8:25-26 NAS95) We see a similar scenario when Peter asked Jesus to command him to walk to Him on the water.  Peter saw the wind, became frightened, and began to sink.  “Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31 NAS95) All of us have been overcome with fear at times.  It can hit us hard.  Jesus again pinpoints the root cause.  It is because we have little faith.  We fail to remember that Jesus is not only the Master of the sea, but of all things.  And He has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us.  Why do we fear?  Why do we doubt?  Do we trust Him? 

Faith is the answer to spiritual forgetfulness.  Sometimes we forget how God has worked in our lives in the past, and this clouds our view of the future.  Jesus said to His disciples, who had witnessed His great power, “You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread?  Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand… or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets full you picked up?” (Matthew 16:8-10 NAS95)

We all struggle with these things from time to time.  That is why we need to be growing in our faith.  May God help us to listen carefully to His voice and take His promises to heart.  Let us trust in our loving Father.

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin

You of Little Faith

December 16, 2021

In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus teaches us how to deal with anxiety.  He reminds us not to worry about our lives and says this: “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!” (Matthew 6:30, NASB)

In Matthew chapter 8, we see Jesus and His disciples in a boat as a great storm arose on the sea.  The disciples were terrified and cried out to Jesus, “Save us, Lord!”  Jesus responded, “…Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?’ Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea and it became perfectly calm.” (Matthew 8:26, NASB)

Some time later, the disciples were again on a boat, and once again, the wind and waves were battering them.  The disciples looked and saw Jesus walking toward them on the water.  At Jesus’ invitation, Peter got out of the boat and began to walk toward Him.  “But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’  Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’” (Matthew 14:31, NASB)

Like Jesus’ disciples, we sometimes struggle mightily with the terrible trio of worry, fear, and doubt.  These emotions can rule over our lives.  What is the root cause of chronic worry, fear, and doubt?  In each of the above passages, Jesus pinpoints the cause—lack of faith!  This can be hard to hear, but they are the words of Jesus.  “You of little faith!”  But by understanding the root cause, by God’s grace we can find help to overcome.  We need to be growing our faith. When “doubts arise and fears dismay” in life, we might ask ourselves 3 questions to refocus our faith:  1) Is God aware of my problems in life?  2) Does God care about me and have my best interest at heart? 3) Does God have the power to help?  The answer to each of these questions is a resounding yes! Having this assurance in our heart, we can come in renewed faith to search His word for answers and to lay our anxieties at His feet in prayer.  As we look to Him in faith, He will grant His divine help and comfort!  He will grant us His peace!  Lord, teach us to increase our faith!

— Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin