Understanding Faith: God's Love For Us

Explaining faith in God to a child can be challenging, but there are several approaches that can help. It's important to note that faith is more than just believing in God; it's about knowing, loving, and following Jesus, encompassing mind, body, spirit, thought, word, deed, and action. One way to explain faith is through object lessons, such as blindfolding a child and asking them to follow your instructions, demonstrating how faith involves listening to and trusting God even when we can't see the outcome. Another approach is to encourage children to ask questions, seek answers through scripture study, and develop their own understanding. Teaching children to pray and recognize the Spirit is also vital, as it helps them develop a personal relationship with God. Ultimately, sharing Bible stories, such as David and Goliath, can illustrate how faith can help us do incredible things and bring glory to God.

Faith is believing in God even though we can't see, hear or touch Him

Faith is a tricky concept to explain to children, but it can be done in a way that helps them understand its importance and how it can be applied in their lives.

Faith is believing in God, even though we can't see, hear, or touch Him. This is a difficult idea to grasp, but it's like knowing that the sun is there even on a cloudy day, or feeling the wind without being able to see it. It's about trusting that God is with us and loves us, even if we can't see or hear Him.

One way to explain faith to children is by using examples and object lessons. For instance, when you sit in a chair, you are showing faith that it will hold you. You don't know for sure if the chair will support your weight until you sit down. Faith in God is similar; it's about trusting that God will take care of us and lead us, even though we can't see where He is taking us or what He is doing.

Another example is the story of David and Goliath. David was a small boy, but he did big things through his faith in God. He protected his sheep from wild animals and defeated Goliath, a giant warrior. This story teaches us that through faith, we can do incredible things. No matter how small or young we feel, faith gives us the strength and courage to face challenges and do amazing things for God's glory.

Faith is also about following God's instructions, even when we don't fully understand them. For example, when God told Noah to build an ark, Noah had faith and obeyed, even though he might not have known what rain was. Similarly, when Jesus told his disciples to have faith and not be afraid during a storm, He calmed the winds and waves, showing that faith in God leads to peace and safety.

Faith is a gift from God, and it can grow and strengthen over time. It's important to pray and seek God's wisdom, even when we don't feel like our faith is strong. God wants us to come to Him with our doubts and questions. He will help us find answers and grow in our faith journey.

Lastly, faith is not just believing in God; it's about knowing, loving, and following Jesus. It's a decision we make to trust and obey Him, and it affects every area of our lives.

Faith is acting on what God says, despite our opinions, experiences or education

Faith is acting on the truth, whether we feel it, like it or agree with it. It is a choice to believe in God and act on that belief, even when we cannot see, hear or touch Him.

Faith is a gift from God, and it can grow. It can also fail, but it is a decision that everyone makes, not just Christians. It is a decision to believe in God before experiencing Him.

Faith is acting on what God says, despite our opinions, because we believe that what God says is true. This is the case even if our emotions and reasoning do not compel the action. For example, in the Bible, Jesus told Simon the fisherman to let down his nets in deep water. Simon responded by saying that he and his companions had worked hard all night and hadn't caught anything. But because Jesus said so, Simon let down his nets and got the biggest catch of his life.

Faith is not being able to see, but trusting the one who can. It is listening to God and trusting Him to help and lead you where you should go, even when you cannot see the end result.

Faith is a gift from God

So, what does this look like in a child's life? Well, it means that they can trust God and His promises, even when they can't see Him, hear Him, or touch Him. It's like sitting in a chair; we trust that the chair will hold us even though we don't know for sure until we sit down. Faith is also like walking in the dark; we may not be able to see where we're going, but we can trust that God will lead us and help us avoid running into things.

As a parent, you can help your children understand that faith is a gift by encouraging them to rely on God and His Word. Reading and memorising Scripture together can help them build a strong foundation of faith. You can also teach them that faith is about obeying God, even when we don't understand or agree with what He's asking us to do. This is where the rubber meets the road—faith is more than just believing; it's about putting that belief into action!

Finally, it's important to remember that faith is a gift that grows over time. It's not something we either have or don't have; it's a lifelong process of trusting and following God. So, don't be discouraged if your child's faith seems small—continue to water and nurture it, and it will grow!

Faith is anchored in truth

Faith is not just a feeling or a supernatural force that gets God to give us what we want. If faith is not built on God's truth, it achieves nothing. Faith is only as strong as what it is anchored to.

A person might be full of faith even if they don't feel it. They might act in faith – for example, loving an enemy, protecting the weak, or respecting a teacher – simply because they believe that what God says is true, even if their emotions and reasoning do not compel the action.

In the Bible, Jesus told Simon the fisherman to let down his nets in deep water. Simon had been fishing all night and hadn't caught anything, but he listened to Jesus and let down his nets. As a result, he got the biggest catch of his life. This story shows us the principle of faith in action. Faith means acting on what God says, regardless of our opinions, experiences, or education. It's about acting on the truth, whether we feel it, like it, or agree with it.

We can teach our children about faith by encouraging them to ask questions, pray, and recognise the Spirit. We can show them that faith is about trusting in God's truth and acting on it, even when we can't see the outcome.

Faith is protective

Jesus asks us to have faith and tells us not to be afraid. We can use the story of Jesus calming the storm to share that Jesus will always help us, but he wants us to have faith and not doubt that he is there. Whether children need help with a test at school or when they are fearful of trying something new, Jesus will strengthen them through their faith in him. "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed: I will strengthen you, I will help you" (Isaiah 41:10).

Our faith does not need to feel big or perfect or complete. Jesus encourages his disciples that even a little faith will go a long way. Encourage your child to tap into even the smallest grain of faith they can find in their heart when they come up against something hard, and God will meet them where they are. "If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, [...] nothing will be impossible for you" (Matthew 17:20; 21:22).

Children need to understand that growing faith is a lifelong process that starts with saving faith. Romans 12:3 and 1 Corinthians 12:9 tell us that faith is a spiritual gift from God and therefore varies from person to person. Comparisons are fruitless. What matters is personal faith growth.

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