Ye of Little Faith

Faith 6

          Did you ever feel like your faith is relatively small compared to others? Did you ever think to yourself, “I understand why God would bless So-and-so but I don’t have near the faith they have.” If that is the case then you are exactly who I am aiming at with today’s post – ye of little faith.

          Jesus used the phrase “little faith” four times in Matthew when addressing various situations. It is also found once in Luke in a reiteration of one of the stories previously found in Matthew. I want to briefly look at these four events and see what we can learn from them. What is it to be of little faith? What are those who of little faith supposed to do about it?
         

Matthew 6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Matthew 8:23–26

23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

Matthew 14:30–31

30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Matthew 16:5–11

5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.

8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

          The underlined phrase above is actually one particular word in the original language. It is the same original language word in all five places the phrase is found in the New Testament. Defined in the original, it literally means lacking confidence.

          In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus was referencing people who lack confidence in God’s willingness or ability to provide for their future needs. In the story of the ship on the sea in the storm Jesus was referencing people who lack confidence in God’s willingness or ability to keep them safe from harm. In the story of Peter walking on the water Jesus was referencing Peter’s lack of confidence in following through on His instructions. In the story about the bread and the leaven Jesus was referencing the Apostles’ lack of confidence in His reasoning. They thought He was mixed up or mistaken.

          We see clearly then that “little faith” means little confidence in God.

          These four instances divide broadly into two areas: first, a lack of confidence that God will meet our needs, and second, a lack of confidence that God knows what He is doing. Which makes perfect sense in my own life. I have often had less than sterling confidence that God was going to provide for some need or other. Even more often, I have had less than sterling confidence that God knew what He was doing as He manipulated events in my life. In other words, it is fairly common for me to be tempted by the thought that God made a mistake somehow in His dealings with me. And I think if you were honest you would say the exact same thing.

          Having established what it means to be one of those of little faith, the next question is how do we fight that? To use another analogy, if being of little faith is the disease of little confidence in God what is the cure? What is the medicine that strengthens us, enabling us to grow spiritually healthy again?

          There are three things the Bible specifically mentions in relation to increasing our confidence in the Lord. First, we find that the fear of the Lord does so. In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: And his children shall have a place of refuge. (Proverbs 14.26) The fear of the Lord brings with it a veritable plethora of benefits, including this one. What is it to fear the Lord? I am reminded here of Isaiah. He saw the Lord as high, holy, and lifted up in Isaiah 6. He saw Him as being a very big God in Isaiah 40, One who knew everything and controlled everything. Seeing God in such a way – as He really is, in truth – cannot help but increase our confidence in Him.

          Second, we find that confidence is paired with the quietness of a steady walk with God. To reference Isaiah again, quoting the Lord he said, In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength (Isaiah 30.15). That phrase reminds me of the matchless Psalm 46.10, Be still and know that I am God. It the calm that comes to the soul as we contemplate all that God is, a contemplation that ought to be part and parcel of every man’s walk with God. I pair that with a New Testament exhortation such as I John 2.28. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

          As I quietly abide in Christ – walking with Him, walking in the Spirit, living out my day to day life practicing the presence of Christ – confidence seeps into my life. It is not a confidence in myself, in my own talents, experience, strength, or ability. No, beloved, it is a confidence in Him. The more time I spend with Him and the more consistently I do it the more I come to know Him. And the more I come to know Him the more confidence that I have in Him. Do you know why those senior saints in your church have an unshakeable confidence in the Lord? Because they have consistently and quietly walked with Him for decades.

          The third thing Scripture tells us builds our confidence is a clear conscience. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God (I John 3.20-21). So much of my lack of confidence in God is actually a lack of confidence in the state of my relationship with God. My sin takes an ax to the tree of my relationship with Him. It destroys whatever had been growing. As I learn to live in the victory over sin Christ has granted me I find my level of intimacy with Him develops unabated. That, in turn, builds my confidence in us, if you will allow me to use that phrase. It builds my confidence that He knows me, notices me, cares about me, and has my best interests at heart. Then, when God does not appear to be meeting my needs in a timely way instead of reacting with little faith I react with a quiet confidence in Jesus, lover of my soul.

          We see, then, that being of little faith solves itself. It disappears, receding gradually into the distance as I cultivate a fear of God, a walk with God, and a clear conscience before Him.