I think this simple story tells us a lot about faith:
A little boy was picked up from school one day by his dad. He tossed his backpack in the back seat and hopped up front with his dad.
“Hey, kiddo! Did you have a good day at school?”
“I guess,” he mumbled, buckling his seat belt.
“I know what you mean,” the dad said as he pulled away, grinning.
On the way home, dad said, “By the way, I have a present waiting at home for you. It’s in your room.”
The boy’s eyes lit up. A smile beamed across his face.
“What is it,” he asked excitedly.
“Just you wait and see,” the dad replied with a big smile on his face.
When they arrived home, the boy dropped his backpack next to the dining room table and darted down the hall to his room.
What Is Faith
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
How did the boy react to his father’s promise of a gift waiting at home?
He was excited. He was confident in his hope of a gift. He was assured about a gift that he did not yet see.
What other reactions might the boy have had?
What if the dad had promised gifts before but had not delivered? Might a child be doubtful or suspicious?
What differentiates these two reactions: one of joy and one of doubt?
Character.
The only reason the boy would be excited about the prospect of a promised gift is if he has faith in his dad. That is, he trusts what his dad tells him.
Trust is earned.
How To Get More Faith
The only way we come to trust someone is if we spend time with them, interact with them, and gather the evidence that they are trustworthy. Over time, we confirm again and again that what the person says can be trusted.
The boy in our story trusts his dad because his dad has always told the truth. His dad has always shown him love. The truth and love of his father demonstrated trustworthiness to the boy.
The boy has faith in his dad.
This is not a kind of faith that is without evidence. In fact, this kind of intimate, strong faith only comes by evidence.
What Faith Is Not
If you have faith in something without evidence–that is, if you believe something without evidence–it is not the faith of the Bible. It is superstition. It is about feelings or desires. Blind “faith” without evidence is always an unstable foundation.
Blind faith can easily be destroyed when seemingly contrary evidence is presented.
Have you ever heard someone say, “You just got to have faith!”
That is an immature way to approach life and relationships. It is the immaturity of a child.
God says we must become like children to get into the kingdom, but He does not mean we must think and reason like a child! Instead, we must, like a child, desire and embrace a relationship with the Father.
Satan loves when we set aside our ability to think and reason and cling to blind faith and superstition.
Let Us Reason
Never give up your right to think, to reason, to investigate, and to ask questions.
The truth is never afraid of investigation.
If your pastor or minister or priest or leader ever tells you to “just believe,” walk out. Get away. Find a church of mature, reasoning adults, whose faith is grounded in the evidence God has fully provided.
For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
Romans 1:20 (NLT)
We have evidence of His existence. We have evidence that He is love. We have evidence that He loves us!
Faith, in the sense that the Bible uses it, is a state of trust based on evidence.
This is the kind of faith we develop as we get to know God. Just as in any relationship, the time we spend with others gives us the evidence we need to judge whether they are trustworthy or not.
That is why getting to know God is so crucial to your peace and joy!
You cannot have faith in God if you do not know God.
Get to know the God of the Bible!