Many people have asked me this same question, often quietly, from a place of longing. Faith and trust are words we hear often in church, yet when life becomes uncertain, we discover how fragile our trust can feel. When we turn to the Gospels, we find that Jesus Christ never taught faith as an abstract idea. He taught it as a living relationship—one that grows in the middle of fear, doubt, and everyday decisions.
Jesus most often taught about faith through encounters rather than explanations. Think of the disciples in the boat during the storm. Waves crash, the wind howls, and fear takes over their hearts. Jesus does not begin with a lesson; He speaks a simple, calming word: “Why are you afraid? Do you not yet have faith?” In that moment, faith is revealed as trust—trust that God is present even when the storm has not yet passed. I have found that this speaks deeply to our own lives, where faith is often tested precisely when God seems silent.
Another way Jesus taught faith was through stories and parables, drawn from ordinary life. He spoke of seeds growing in hidden soil, of a mustard seed so small it seems insignificant, yet becomes a great tree. Through these images, Jesus gently teaches us that faith does not need to begin as something strong or impressive. What matters is not the size of our faith, but where we place it. Even a small trust, offered honestly to God, can grow beyond what we imagine.
Jesus also taught faith by how He responded to people who came to Him in need. The blind, the sick, the outcast—many approached Him with simple words like, “Lord, if you will, you can heal me.” Often Jesus would reply, “Your faith has saved you.” This was not praise for perfect belief, but recognition of a heart that dared to trust God’s mercy. In pastoral conversations, I often remind people that faith is not certainty without questions; it is the courage to come to God with our weakness and hope anyway.
Perhaps one of the most tender lessons Jesus gives about trust is found in His words about childlike faith. When the disciples argued about greatness, Jesus placed a child among them and said that the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. A child trusts not because life is simple, but because love feels secure. Jesus invites us into that same posture—resting in the Father’s care, even when we do not understand everything. This kind of trust frees the heart from constant anxiety and opens it to peace.
Finally, Jesus taught faith through His own life of trust in the Father. From His prayer in the garden of Gethsemane to His final words on the cross, we see a trust that remains even in suffering. “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Here, faith is no longer just belief—it is surrender. Jesus shows us that trusting God does not mean escaping pain, but placing our lives into loving hands that are stronger than death.
What does this mean for us today? It means that faith grows not by forcing ourselves to feel certain, but by choosing trust again and again in small, quiet ways. When we pray despite doubt, forgive despite hurt, or hope despite fear, we are living the faith Jesus taught. Over time, trust becomes less about control and more about relationship—walking with God, one step at a time.
A Closing Reflection
May we learn from Jesus that faith is not the absence of fear, but the decision to trust God in its presence. Let us ask for the grace to place our lives gently into His hands, trusting that His love will never let us go.
— Fr. John Matthew, for Christian Way
