Hebrews 11:1
Faith. It’s a word we hear all the time in church, we can see it on T-shirts, mugs, hats… But if we’re being honest, sometimes it feels more like a Christian catchphrase or a word of encouragement said to someone going through a difficult moment in life, than something we truly understand.
So… what is faith, really?
- Faith is trusting God when you don’t have the full picture
Have you ever used a sat nav to drive somewhere new? You follow the directions step by step, even if you’ve no idea where you are. And yet you keep going. That’s what faith looks like sometimes. You might not know exactly where God is taking you, but you trust that He does.
Faith isn’t having all the answers. It’s choosing to trust the One who does.
In the Bible, Abraham was told to leave his country, his people and his father’s house and go to an unknown land. He didn’t know exactly where to nor was he given a map. But God said He would “show him”. All Abraham had was a promise. And he went. That’s faith! It’s not stepping into something for which you have a great plan, but about taking a step forward knowing that you have a perfect God.
- Faith is holding on to God when life doesn’t make sense
Let’s be real, life can be tough. Prayers can “go unanswered”. Plans fall apart. We face pain, doubt, illness, heartbreak. Suddenly, things you thought you knew just don’t make sense anymore. Things have changed, and we can feel lost in so many ways.
In those moments, faith might not look like bold declarations. It might even feel void. That is perhaps what Habakkuk felt when he talked directly to God about the injustice happening around him as he felt his prayers weren’t being heard by God but after realizing how great, powerful and amazing His Good was, he wrote “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” So if or when nothing makes any sense, we can hold on to God our Saviour. We can rejoice in the Lord because of who He is.
- Faith grows as you get to know God
Here’s the thing, you don’t fully trust someone you don’t really know. Faith isn’t just about believing in God. It’s about knowing Him: His goodness, His faithfulness, His heart. The more time we spend with Him in prayer, in Scripture, in worship, the deeper our faith becomes. Not because life suddenly makes sense, but because we grow more confident in who He is. Think about a close friend. You’ve seen them show up for you time and time again. That shared history builds trust. It’s the same with God. We need to know Him more in order to trust Him more.
- Faith looks beyond what’s right in front of you
Faith isn’t just about surviving the present; it’s about looking ahead with hope. Hebrews 11 tells the stories of people who lived by faith. Many of them never saw God’s promises fully realised in their lifetimes. But they believed anyway. They weren’t tied to earthly things. They could see beyond. The Bible says, “Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.” – Hebrews 11:16. Why? Because their hope was anchored in something eternal. Faith remind us this isn’t the end of the story.
So… What is faith, really?
It’s choosing to believe even when your heart is still healing.
It’s taking a deep breath in the middle of the stormy unknown.
