Little Faith

Last year, right at the beginning of November, my husband and I were teaching the last class of our Xplore Nations Bible College year: The Gospels. I read each book with the purpose of finding what makes them unique and different.
After having read the Gospels for our teaching, we decided to invite all the students to read the Gospels in a month, so we read them again in December.
This time I started backwards, from John to Matthew. The red letters of Jesus kept on standing out of the pages for me with the reminder of the wavering trust and confidence of the disciples, and sometimes of our own: O you of little faith.

·  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? (Matthew 6:30)

·  He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. (Matthew 8:26)

·  Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31)

· Do you remember, my twelve, how I fed thousands from a few leftover loaves? Then “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?” (Matthew 16:8)

Jesus’ rebuke is done with kindness, as He acknowledges a faith that is authentic but little; it rebukes not the presence of faith but the absence of growth and maturity in it.
As believers, it is so easy to have empathy for the disciples, as we too have allowed cares, fear, and doubt to stagnate our faith. We too, need to listen to that rebuke.
These cares, fear and doubt are usually not things that we intend to carry or are willfully choosing; they are often innate to our personalities.
Though personality traits play an important role in our lives, we cannot excuse our lack of spiritual growth with our temperament, let alone consent for Little Faith to abide with us.
“If that is how God clothes the grass of the field” “Lord, save us” “If you only keep your eyes on me” “Do you remember?”
By the power of the Spirit within us, we have a choice in this matter. We can consider, pray, ask, remember — and over time, we may feel our faith rising higher than little.

Little faith panics. Great faith considers not the situation but the Person: Jesus.
Great faith knows Jesus is the source of our provision. Great faith knows that Jesus is in the boat with the disciples. Great faith knows that Jesus is in the waves with Peter. Great faith knows Jesus is a multiplier of loaves.
We become what we behold. Looking to Jesus should be our everyday labor. The best answer to our cares, fears and doubts is not to excuse it in our 4-type personality test; it’s looking at Christ’s love for us. Jesus loves to save us from our cares, fears and doubt.

Consider all evidence in your situation and you will find Jesus standing right in the middle of it with you. He never fails. Let your faith rise!