Childlike Faith

I recently went to a girl’s night out event at a church with some women and a few teenage girls…. I drove the vehicle with the teenagers and one of the ladies. Oh, what a car ride. The music choices went from worship, to Disney, to Christmas. As I was driving, though it was loud, very loud in the car, I was enjoying the laughter and fun the girls were having.

As I was driving, I thought about how I used to be like that… I mean I can still be like that but to be open, free and innocent like a kid, that is something to hold onto especially when it comes to having faith.

So today let’s talk about childlike faith.

When Jesus talks about having childlike faith, He’s not talking about being immature, but about having a faith that is simple, trusting, and full of wonder—just like a child’s.

Matthew 18:3 says, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus is telling us that there’s something special about the way children believe and trust without hesitation.

Matthew 19:14 says, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Jesus welcomes children and tells us that their simple faith is a model for how we should approach Him.

Children don’t complicate things. When they trust, they do so completely and without reservation. When they love, it’s pure and without strings attached. Imagine if our faith could be that simple—just trusting God at His word without second-guessing or doubting.

I volunteer with the youth group at our church and in our small group time my co – leader and I decided to challenge each of the young ladies to pray…. Every week we take down prayer requests and so all that have to do is read the list.

They are intimidated and worried about what they will say will be wrong. So, this is about reminding them that God hears you no matter what you pray or how you pray. It is to bring them back to the childlike faith that that had just a few years ago. It’s about being comfortable with conversations with the Lord.

We all get caught up and forget what it is like but it’s prayer that can remind us to sit in the childlike faith again.

In Luke 18:17, Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” This verse highlights the importance of trusting God completely, just as a child trusts their parent.

Children don’t worry about whether or not their parents will take care of them—they just trust that everything will be provided. In the same way, childlike faith invites us to trust God without worrying about the outcome. It’s a faith that doesn’t second-guess but believes that God is faithful.

As I watch my kids grow up, I see their independence grow. They have learned how to rely on what they have learned. Part of what they have learned is having faith. When we walk in faith our children also learn to rely on that. It is important for them to know that God is with them and will provide for them. We want them to hold on to that childlike faith. It is hard as we walk through difficulty to keep that, but it is something we can work on and keep striving to.

Maybe you’re in a season right now where things seem uncertain, and it’s hard to trust. Let’s take a lesson from the way children trust—without doubt or fear. God is always faithful, even when we can’t see the full picture.

In Matthew 18:4, Jesus says, “Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” This highlights humility as an essential part of childlike faith.

Children don’t come to Jesus with pride or thinking they know everything—they come humbly, ready to learn and believe. Sometimes, as adults, we lose that sense of wonder and humility. We try to rely on our own understanding rather than approaching God with awe and openness.

We can get too much in our heads and be stubborn in what we know. We need to be more humble in our thoughts and actions. We need to be open to change and knowing that when God leads us, we are to obey.

There’s so much beauty in approaching God with a heart that’s humble and open, ready to receive whatever He has for us. Childlike faith isn’t afraid to say, “God, I need You,” or “I don’t have all the answers, but I trust You do.” I know for me I don’t know what I need sometimes, and I definitely don’t have the answers, so I need to fall back and have that childlike faith and trust the Lord with ALL things.

We’ve talked today about what it means to have childlike faith—faith that is simple, trusting, humble, and filled with wonder. Jesus tells us that we need to become like children in our faith, trusting Him completely and without reservation.

As we go through the rest of the day, let’s remember that God is inviting us to trust Him like children—to let go of fear, pride, and doubt, and to approach Him with open hearts, knowing that He is always faithful.

Let’s close with this verse from Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”