“Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?”
Matthew 16:8-9 NIV
How do we get understanding? How do we understand? From a human perspective, many assume that the answer is to study or read more. That the more we know, the more we will understand. To some degree, these actions may give us more knowledge.
But Jesus said we should approach this from a different perspective: He said the key was faith.
The Bible tells us that faith opens the door to everything we need to know about life, about God and His power, about His Kingdom, about following Jesus, about being successful.
The principle is that understanding is a spiritual condition gained through spiritual means. Yes, studying is important. Yes, it can be valuable to acquire information. The point is that these things can’t take the place of faith.
Faith is central to understanding Jesus’ teachings. It is the key to unleashing power, putting aside doubts, and seeing God work through our lives (Matthew 17:14-20). Faith is essential for putting aside worry and trusting God (Matthew 6:30). Faith is central to understanding how to appropriate God’s power, to experience miracles (Matthew 8:10).
Faith is how we trust God for what seems impossible (Matthew 9:2, 22). Faith is central to powerful prayers (Matthew 21:21) and having God’s discernment. We grow in faith as we hear, study, and act on God’s Word (Romans 10:17).
One of the great things about faith is that it is available to anyone, young or old, rich or poor—regardless of our experience or education. We can see why Jesus emphasised faith, and why He urged His followers to step out of their comfort zone and boldly act in faith.
In your life, seek to be a person of faith. Fill your mind with God’s Word. Follow Jesus. Be filled with His Spirit. Don’t be dominated by doubt. Believe Him. Trust Him. Act on faith.
