Faith is essentially knowing that what you need is right there when you need it, knowing that what you need to work is going to work. It’s not always a big thing either, just a simple knowing that something or someone is or will be there for you. But if your faith is in something or someone that won’t hold your weight, you’re going to fall. It isn’t about how much faith you have, it’s about the object of your faith.
You can have all the faith in the world, but if the thing or person in which you have your faith isn’t reliable, your faith will do nothing. Several people can have all the faith in the world in this thing or person, but if it isn’t reliable, then only disappointment can come of it. However, if you have just a little faith in a thing or person that is reliable, it doesn’t matter how much faith you or others have or don’t have, it will be steady.
Here’s an example I recently heard: If you’re falling down a cliff and you grab onto a weak branch wanting it to hold you, it doesn’t matter how much you think that branch will hold you or how much you want it to, it won’t. But if you grab onto a strong branch, it doesn’t matter how hopeless and helpless you feel, as long as you’re just holding onto that branch you’ll be fine.
Another example: If you go to sit in a chair, you just know it will hold your weight. If that chair is too flimsy to hold you, that faith will mean nothing and you’ll fall on your backside. But if that chair is strong enough, then you won’t even have to think about it.
I like both of those examples. The strong branch metaphor means that I’m safe as long as I’m holding on to Jesus, and the chair metaphor means I don’t even have to think about it, I can just rest on Jesus. As Jesus told His disciples, you don’t need a lot of faith, just a little bit (Matthew 17:20 and Luke 17:6). This is because when you have just a little faith in God, He’s strong enough to hold you up, keep you steady, and even carry you wherever you need to be.
Related:
Faith and Its Object
Mustard Seed Faith
Reminders on Faith and Doubt
Faith and Hope
Huddle Up with Your Faith Shield
Notes on Faith
Have Faith and Prosper
Faith Outside of Trials
Be Faithful in the Small Things
Faith With or Without X-Ray Vision
Faith or Feelings