Matthew 14:31
“And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
The greatest need in Christianity today is the need of little faith. Notice, I did not say great faith! Throughout the Book of Matthew, Jesus rebuked His disciples for not having little faith. It is amazing what little faith can accomplish. There is no doubt in my mind that this world could be changed if Christians just had little faith.
Little faith will supply your personal needs. In Matthew 6:30, God shows that all it takes for God to care for your daily needs is little faith. Yes, God will supply all your need, but it takes little faith for that need to be supplied.
Little faith overcomes fear in adversity. When the disciples were on the sea and the storm was all about them, they feared that they would die in the storm. Before Jesus stood and rebuked the wind, He said to them in Matthew 8:26, “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” It was little faith that calmed the storms.
Little faith gives personal miracles. Jesus said in Matthew 14:31, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” This was said after Peter began to sink when he was walking on the water. You may need a personal miracle in your life right now, but it takes little faith to see those miracles happen.
Little faith understands doctrine. In Matthew 16:8, Jesus rebuked the disciples for not having “little faith” to understand His teachings. The only reason one does not understand the Word of God correctly is because they don’t have “little faith.”
Little faith changes lives. When the disciples could not help a man whose son was a lunatick, Jesus rebuked them for not having faith the size of a “grain of mustard seed.” It doesn’t take great faith for God to use you to change one’s life, instead it takes little faith.
What is the key to getting little faith? First, it takes the Christian to read and hear the Word of God. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” You are missing the opportunity to have little faith by missing your personal time with God in His Word. Friend, you will never get little faith until you start reading the Word of God.
Second, it takes prayer and fasting. After rebuking the disciples for having no faith, Jesus said to them in Matthew 17:21, “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” You may think your time in prayer is doing nothing, but rest assured it is building little faith. Not only does praying build little faith, but when you take the extra step to fast and pray it builds your faith.
We all hear of the great faith of Christians and we desire that faith, but you will never acquire great faith before you have little faith. If every Christian would just have little faith, then we would see our lives changed, and see God use us to help change the lives of others. Great faith will come, but you must first have little faith.