3 Characteristics of Childlike Faith

Do you want to increase in receiving–in other words, to receive more from the Lord? If so, now would be a good time to renew your sense of childlike faith and expectancy.

Life can take it out of you sometimes, but childlike faith is essential if you want to be close to God.

Our Father God wants us to approach Him with boldness and joyful trust, just like a little child does. Look what Jesus said in Matthew 18 about coming to Him as a little child:

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’

Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 18:1-4 NKJV).

Also, Jesus repeated similar principles in Luke 18:

“Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it’” (Luke 18:15-17 NKJV).

We must have childlike faith if we want to come to Jesus and be part of His Kingdom.

But, why is that? What is so special about childlike faith, and why is it an essential part of approaching God and walking in His Kingdom?

Well, first, children are naturally believing and positive. On the surface level, unless they have seen too much of this sinful world, they expect good things, and they believe in the beauty of life. Therefore, we can surmise that childlike faith is innocent and without limits. 🙂

But, I believe we need to look not only at these things on the surface level, but in particular to look at them as they apply to asking God for what we need.

Think about this:

The act of using your faith is, at its very core, believing in something with the intention of getting something because of your belief.

For example:

• If children live in a home where the legend of Santa Claus is taught, they don’t believe in Santa Claus because he’s a nice idea; they believe in him because they want presents–and they believe that Santa will give them presents! (Don’t worry; I don’t teach Santa Claus. It’s just an illustration.) 🙂
• If they’re going to believe in the Easter Bunny, they do so because they have been taught that the Easter Bunny will bring them an Easter basket. (I don’t teach the Easter Bunny either. Don’t worry.) 😉
• If they believe in superheroes, they do so because they want to be like that superhero. Without analyzing it as an adult would, they instinctively believe that they can also use some of those same powers or characteristics that the superhero has, if they believe. That’s why they start pretending to be that superhero, and it’s why they often try to act like a superhero. They know at the gut level that belief brings them into contact with something, and that that contact changes them!

People believe in things because they know that thing impacts them personally. And children believe in things because they know they are going to GET something personally.

How does this apply to an adult?

Well, let me tell you my story as an illustration. 🙂

I have purposefully been making an effort to regain my childlike faith after I began noticing recently that my faith had gotten a bit jaded and cynical.

Oh, I still believed God. I still do believe Him! However, I have been beaten up and beaten down so much over the last few years that I started to lose that sense of childlike faith and wonder–the basic sense of innocence that says God is going to do good things for me.

There’s a big difference between having that childlike sense of innocence versus being jaded and cynical.

When you walk in a basic sense of innocence and expectation, your thought life sounds something like this in your heart of hearts:

• “I am loved.”
• “God loves me!”
• “God is for me, even if other people hate/dislike me.”
• “God will give me anything I ask for.”
• “God will bless me because He loves me.”
• “Good things are going to happen to me today!”
• “I don’t have to strive to get blessed.”
• “God will bless me even if other people don’t like it.”
• “I am accepted, even if other people hate me. It doesn’t change who I am; I am accepted in the Beloved, because God loves me!”

But, when you become jaded and cynical, your thought life starts to sound something like this:

• “I know I am loved, but I sure don’t feel loved.”
• “Why does it seem to be just one bad thing after another for me?”
• “Will this trouble never end?”
• “I’ve been faithful, but it sure seems like nothing ever changes–and very little good ever seems to happen to me.”

I started noticing that I was feeling jaded and tired when my husband pointed it out.

Every day, after work, my husband asks me how my day was. On one particular day some months ago, my answer was, “It was challenging.” And when I said that, my husband responded, “It seems like every day is challenging for you. You almost never say that you had a good day.”

His comment really hit me hard. I always responded to the question truthfully, but I realized that he was right: nearly every day was challenging. It had been that way for a long time, and I couldn’t remember the last time I felt joyous and hopeful and expectant for good things to happen. So much bad had been happening to me literally for years that I lost my faith and expectation for basically anything else.

I took that to the Lord in a serious way.

I know that God is good, and that He is always good to us. He also loves to do good things for us, every single day. After all, 2 Chronicles 16 says this:

2 Chronicles 16:9a: “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9a NKJV).

But, I had lost my trust that He would do good to and for me. It seemed like He had allowed me to be beaten up so badly, despite my prayers for deliverance, that I lost my faith for anything to ever be different.

So, the Lord and I have been working on that for a long time.

The process of changing this mindset is the same as the process for changing any other mindset. It’s all about washing your mind and thoughts with the pure water of God’s Word, scrubbing away incorrect mindsets with the truth that you read in the pages of your Bible.

This process is what we also call renewing your mind, as is mentioned in Romans chapter 12:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2 NKJV).

And I needed to renew my mind with the truth about how God is ready, willing, and eager to do good things for me, to help me, and how He is always fighting for me–because the hardships of life had beaten that revelation and faith out of me.

I’m just being real here. Can anybody identify?

So, anyway, I have been diligently washing my mind and renewing my expectations with God’s truth. And you know what? It is really making a big difference. I have seen the Lord moving a lot more to bless me than I saw during those hours when I expected only darkness. And, I have been specifically asking Him to help me have a great day each day–and, most of my recent days have in fact been great, instead of always “challenging” to the hilt!

As I’ve been working through this process with the Lord, I’ve noticed three characteristics of childlike faith that have helped me find joyful, innocent trust in the Lord again. And I wanted to share those three characteristics of childlike faith with you today, to also challenge you to embrace them as well.

Are you ready? Without further ado, let’s look at these three characteristics of childlike faith.

Characteristic #1: Children ask for anything and everything.

Children ask wildly, with no restraint. If they want it, they ask for it–no matter how expensive a thing is, how inconvenient it is, or who that thing is going to going to bother with its constant noise if they get it. 🙂

Nevertheless, is this not what Jesus specifically told us to do–to ask without restraint?

Look at how He commands us to ask in His Word:

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8 NKJV).

And then again in John 16:23-24:

“And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:23-24 NKJV).

And Jesus also said it again in John 14:

“If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:14 NKJV).

There are tons of Scriptures like this throughout the Word. We could go on and on. The point is, however, that–just as little children ask and ask for absolutely anything they want, God wants us to believe that He is that good, and that all-powerful, that He will give us what we want the same way.

So, I’ve been stretching my faith. 🙂

As an exercise in childlike faith and expectation, I’ve been forcing myself to write down things on my prayer list that I never would have written down before. For example, in the past, my prayer list would be focused on eternal things (like different aspects of missions or discipling people, or intercessory needs for the people I love), or absolute needs (like the bills getting paid).

However, in this season, I feel like the Lord is asking me to ask in childlike faith for anything and everything. Not only does asking for things that way stretch my faith, but it demonstrates to Him that I believe Him that He is that good and that rich and that able to answer my “ridiculous asks.”

So, on my prayer/fasting list, not only have I been writing down the “eternal things” in the last few months, but I’ve also added crazy ridiculous things, like:

• Handbags that I can’t afford and would have no business buying (from a budget perspective, anyway). (But I tote a ton of stuff; I’m like a little pack mule everywhere I go, carrying Bibles and textbooks and laptop and cords and cables and multiple outfit changes for taping videos, as well as pens and my huge thick leather journal, and business receipts and all the business stuff, so work bags, tote bags, handbags, backpacks, and duffel bags can change my life, actually.)
• Articles of clothing that help me a lot, but which I would not be able to afford unless God provided. (Like dressy blazers and silk scarves.)
• Gifts I want to give to minister to others the same way Jesus is ministering to me and my heart.
• Medication and vitamins to help me with some medical conditions I have but could not afford to treat.

And you know what? Since I started adding those seemingly silly things to my prayer list, right alongside the “heal this pastor” and “provide these Bibles” and “airfare for Guatemala” and “pay these bills” requests, won’t you know the Lord has been slowly but surely answering the “silly” requests, too?

I mean, I felt silly when I started writing down those requests.

But, God cares about everything that you care about–so what feels “silly” to us really is not silly at all, if it matters to you. And since I started asking for those extra things, God has been answering them over and over, right alongside those eternal things.

It’s been the craziest thing. But it is making my life so much easier, even in little ways–and those “silly asks” have brought solid answers that have really made a difference to me, my health, my psyche, my appearance, and so much more.

Now, I still don’t have a Birkin, but God owns all of them–even the Birkin 40s that will handle all my Bibles and books. 😉 He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, as well as the world and everything in it! (And those things are worth far more than a Birkin!)

And I know it sounds silly, and is absolutely ridiculous from a budgetary perspective (I can’t see myself ever actually spending the money for one–IYKYK), but God is not limited, and it builds my faith and awareness of His “big-ness” and omnipotence to even have that prayer request on my list. You know?

How does this apply to you?

I think you should stop and write down some ridiculous asks right now, too. Yes, definitely write down your urgent needs and your eternal things as well. Those are probably burning in your spirit, so it will be easy to write them down.

But, after that, even if it feels like a stretch (it was actually very difficult for me at first), think up some things that would help you–things you don’t absolutely need. Think up things that you’d love to have; things that would bring you joy; things that would make your life easier–even if you can get by just fine without them.

Then, ask God for them–and keep on asking.

That brings us to characteristic #2 of childlike faith:

Characteristic #2: Children persist in asking.

They will keep after you until they get what they are asking for, in some way or another.

In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus tells a parable about what real, persistent prayer looks like. (I encourage you to stop and look up that passage, and read those eight verses right now.)

Although I have too much to say about Luke 18:1-8 all in one article, I will point out that persistent, ceaseless praying until you get what you’re asking for is what Jesus calls real evidence of faith.

I’ve been working on this specifically by writing down all of the things for which I’m asking God, and praying over the same list over and over.

I began this particular list at the beginning of April, when this community did a corporate 21-day fast. But, even after that event was over, I have kept on praying over the same list. And every day, when I get an answer to prayer, I put a sticker, a star, or a checkmark on the list to record that God answered. (It’s a way to build a memorial to Him, and to thank Him, and to acknowledge His work on my behalf.)

Look what He has done as I have persisted in praying over the same requests, day after day after day:

• As of April 30, I had recorded 65 answers.
• As of May 14, I had 125 answers.
• As of May 19, I had 144 answers.
• As of June 14, I had 335 answers to prayer, recorded and memorialized with a star, another pretty sticker, or a tally mark or checkmark.

GLORY TO GOD! These answers have changed my life, too.

How does this apply to you?

Whatever you need, want, or desire from the Lord (or even remotely dream of, like my Birkin 40–a ridiculous ask, but nevertheless), write it down. Then, make a way to memorialize it every time God answers a prayer. I believe you should write down at least 100-150 things, or more. Think up the ways that you would love to God to bless your life!

Then, start asking … and persist in asking.

It’s fine to tell the Lord that you know that XYZ request doesn’t exactly have eternal significance, but that you are asking Him because He specifically told you to “ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.” And you can tell Him that you know He is just that good, and that even though you don’t “need” a thing, you would love to have it–and that your intention is to honor Him and His heart of love, goodness, and abundance enough to ask.

That kind of asking pleases God. It honors God when you acknowledge that, yes, He is just that good to give you what you need, want, AND desire. And once you begin asking, persist in asking. That’s what children do, and that’s what Jesus teaches us to do in Luke 18:1-8.

And next, let’s look at characteristic #3 of childlike faith:

Characteristic #3: Children feel safe in asking because they know you love them.

My child will ask me for anything, and he is perfectly bold in doing so because he knows that I love him with all my heart. He knows that he has “inner circle access” to Mama, and that Mama will move heaven and earth to do anything for him if it’s a good thing.

This doesn’t mean I give him everything he asks for, because some of the things he asks for are not good things. He doesn’t know enough about the world to know what’s healthy/wise, and what’s not, in every circumstance. And he is not spoiled at all; he is disciplined and hard-working and motivated and sweet.

But, he asks. Like the child that he is, he asks and asks and asks and asks. And he does it because he knows Mama loves him, and Mama is for him, and odds are good that he will get whatever he asks Mama (or even my husband) for. Why? Because we love him so much.

But, beloved …

Just like a child, you are also safe in asking God for things because HE loves YOU.

He loves you so much that He gave His only Son for you. He loves you so much that He forgave all your sins and made you His child when you gave your heart to Jesus. And He loves you so much that He is ready, willing, and able to do for you whatever you ask …

… and it is by virtue of your relationship with Him that He does this. It is because He loves you, and because you are His child, that you can ask for and receive ANYTHING.

Wild, huh?

That’s why Hebrews 4:16 tells us:

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16 NKJV).

Beloved, it is time to once again come boldly before the throne of grace with childlike faith.

It’s time for us all to rise up in the same level of faith and expectation of good that children have. It’s time to strengthen those hands which hang down, and make firm the feeble knees, and find our childlike innocence and trust in our good, good Father Who loves us.

You can ask God for anything–even crazy things.

You can persist in asking, because He loves it when you ask and keep on asking. (And that’s the only kind of asking that He calls “faith.”)

And you can do it all, and receive it all, because God loves you–and because you are His Own, dear, precious baby, greatly beloved, cherished, and treasured.

Beloved, has life beaten you down? Are you missing your childlike faith and expectation?

If so, won’t you come boldly before the Lord once again and ask Him to help you regain your childlike faith and trusting innocence? He will help you if you ask Him to, and He will turn things around for you as you ask and persist in childlike, faith-filled, joyous asking.

Does this message minister to your heart today? If so, leave a comment below!