Faith is not something we create or initiate; faith is a gift from God. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Faith is personal trust and reliance on God because we believe what He says and accept Him at His word. Having faith means trusting and having confidence in what is unseen or intangible. It is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)
The word “substance” in this context in general means that which underlies the apparent, hence, reality, essence, substance; that which is the basis of something, hence, assurance, guarantee, confidence.[1] So, “faith is the substance of things hoped for,” it means: Faith gives real confidence and assurance in the things we hope for, even though we don’t yet see them. “Now faith is a solidly grounded certainty about what we hope for, a conviction about the reality of things we don’t see.”[2]
Just because faith isn’t founded solely on reason doesn’t mean it is illogical or opposed to reason. Faith is a response to God, who knows all things. Faith responds to what we know and understand about God, and what He says in His Word, rather than merely human reasoning, logic, experience, or comprehension. These human dynamics may play no part in faith at all; we may not be able to reason why something happened or understand. Our comprehension is finite; we are limited in our finiteness. Faith’s substance is something greater than a human’s desire to understand or control; it is knowing and trusting in God.
The Danger of Surface-Level Faith
A pastor friend once shared a heartbreaking story. His predecessor had died young from illness, but throughout his sickness, the pastor repeatedly assured everyone that God would heal him and he wouldn’t die. When he passed away, it devastated his family and congregation. Most tragically, the pastor’s son stopped attending church entirely, saying: “I don’t want to have anything to do with a faith that does not prepare me for reality.”
What caused this young man’s rejection of faith? A surface-level knowledge of God that failed when confronted with life’s harsh realities. He had adopted Christianity as a cultural identity without truly knowing the God of Christianity, particularly His sovereignty over all circumstances.
Ask “What God?” Not “Why God?”
Many Christians struggle with a surface-level faith because they’ve never pursued a deeper knowledge and understanding of God beyond church attendance and daily devotions. As J. I. Packer wrote, “The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father.”[3]
Central to this deeper knowledge is understanding God’s sovereignty. Scripture repeatedly affirms that “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Psalm 115:3). This isn’t a distant theological concept; it’s a bedrock of authentic faith. “Over and over, Scripture extols God’s sovereign control over every aspect of His creation. “Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps” (Psalm 135:6). The apostle Paul explains that God “works all things after the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). And in 1 Corinthians, Paul likewise exalts God as uniquely sovereign: “There is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him” (1 Corinthians 8:6).”[4] Understanding the attribute of God’s sovereignty is essential to truly understanding life with God and life itself. Knowing and grasping this characteristic of God has profound implications for believers. It provides context and stability when life becomes painful and confusing. A surface-level knowledge of God makes one’s faith vulnerable.
When I lost my father to cancer, I was a young 24-year-old; at 62, his life was gone far too early. There was nothing I could do about his demise, but there was something I could do about how I processed the experience. Of course, the grief was overwhelming. I faced a crucial choice. I could ask “Why God?”—a question that often leads to frustration because our finite minds cannot comprehend infinite purposes unless God chooses to reveal them. Instead, I asked, “What God?”—What do you want me to learn from this experience? How will you use this in my life? This shift in questioning made all the difference. Rather than demanding explanations, I accepted the reality of what God permitted while trusting that He would use this painful experience for His purposes.
What if I had chosen to be angry at God’s choice? What if I had wrestled with controlling the circumstances and became disheartened because I couldn’t be in control? Is everything in life that I don’t have control of competing with my will? Is it my will that matters most? I did not ask the question, ‘Why God?’ This question cannot be answered in our finite understanding unless our infinite God reveals the answer. It is not always His will to give a clear answer. God is not being unkind, uncaring, or callous toward His people; it is His way of drawing us near to Him, strengthening our faith in Him, and teaching us how to trust in His sovereign care and provision for life’s unanswered questions.
The Big Picture vs The Details
Every believer must grasp two essential truths: First, the big picture: This is the overall plan that God has for every believer’s life. God has a purpose, is present, and is active in our lives (Matthew 28:20, Romans 8:28, 29, Ephesians 2:10, Philippians 1:6, 2:13). The big picture is never in question because Scripture clearly teaches it. A believer must first accept that in the grand scheme of things, the big picture, God has a purpose, He is active, and He has a plan. The psalmist’s confidence and plea of the big picture was: “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” Psalm 138:8 This is a verse that assures us of God’s continued involvement in our lives, promising that He will not abandon the purpose He has for us.
Second, the details: How God’s plan unfolds specifically is according to His will and timing. Here we must exercise faith, patience, and trust. The details may be revealed later, or they may remain known only to God. If we rush through painful times by wanting to know all the details before fully trusting that God will use our experiences for His glory, we will focus more on our pain and our need to understand. Our impatience, craving certainty, hunger for answers, and drive to grasp everything will lead to disappointment and heartbreak. Exercising our faith, waiting, and trusting are key signs of true reliance upon God. Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! As I waited, God eventually revealed many details of His purpose. The cancer that took my father’s life also brought him to life in Christ before he died. Gospel conversations continued as the years passed and family members came to faith in Christ. For over forty-three years, God has used this experience in countless ways for His glory through witnessing, preaching, teaching, and counseling opportunities. Reality is that things happen, but not outside of God’s sovereign purposes. God answered my question, “What God?” in detailed, fascinating ways.
We can better grasp what reality is thanks to the truth that God has given us in His Word, which was given specifically to prepare us for reality. One such truth is faith in His sovereign oversight. This faith reality anchors our knowledge in the fact that He is present, that He cares, that He will never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5) Reality refers to the state of things as they truly exist, not as they may appear, as we perceive them, or as we wish things to be. Faith is lived and exercised within the reality that God exists and determines His ways and purposes according to His perfect will. That is what every person must resolve to believe if they are to base their faith on reality itself: that God exists, that God is in control, that God has a purpose and a plan. (Proverbs 16:9, 19:21) The real question is whether you are willing to be satisfied with this reality. If not, then you, who seek to control or fully understand what happens in life, will become angry or discontent. Struggling with the fact that God is in control will lead you to deep despair and may eventually and tragically cause you to run from God.
Faith Without Sight
Hebrews 11:6-7 provides a powerful example: “Without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household.”
Noah built the ark by faith, not because he saw storm clouds or felt rain. He believed God would do exactly what He promised, regardless of present circumstances. Faith brings reason to reality by placing both the present and future into God’s capable hands, releasing our desperate grip for control over life’s unpredictable circumstances. Faith doesn’t need explanation; faith trusts in God’s unknown will and purpose.
When Faith Meets Suffering
Did I want my father to survive? Absolutely. But as his prognosis worsened, I had to face reality, and God was right there in that reality. His life had always been in God’s hands. Should we question God’s purposes and will? Who are we to challenge the Almighty’s decisions? We may experience suffering that seems needless, tragic, and unjust from our limited perspective. But from the broader vantage point of God’s sovereignty, He has reasons that fit even tragedy into a larger pattern designed to accomplish His purposes.
The book of Job powerfully illustrates this principle. When God responds to Job in chapters 38-40, He doesn’t provide explanations but reminds Job of the vast difference between divine wisdom and human comprehension. The most faithful response is humble acceptance of God’s sovereign will rather than demanding answers. I didn’t bring God down to my level of understanding; I exalted God above my limited perspective, trusting in His unlimited divine wisdom, knowledge, and control.
Jesus, facing the cross, prayed: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). If the Son of God submitted to the Father’s will, how much more should we?
The Limits of Human Understanding
Must we understand everything to find satisfaction in life’s outcomes? The choice comes down to trusting God’s sovereignty while acknowledging our human limitations. Rather than wrestling with our need to control every detail, we can acknowledge our finiteness and rest in His infinite wisdom. Faith doesn’t require explanation; it trusts in God’s unknown will and purpose. Comfort in human limitation is found in resting in the God who knows, cares, and loves us beyond human comprehension. (John 3:16, Romans 5:8) “How deep the Father’s love for us, How vast beyond all measure! That He should give His only Son, To make a wretch His treasure.”[5]
Do we have enough faith to trust God when we don’t understand or when outcomes hurt us deeply? When we are not in control? When we think God should have controlled things differently? Can our faith withstand circumstances that disappoint or devastate us? Are our emotions and will dictating how we are responding to circumstances? Are we willing to allow the realities of life to be placed in the context of God’s sovereignty and rest in it?
Run to God’s Word
God’s Word encourages us to understand who He truly is and helps us comprehend our relationship with Him. (Jeremiah 9:24, Hosea 6:3, Philippians 3:10) It acknowledges that some mysteries transcend human understanding and that life often seems unfair, yet through it all, God remains in complete control. Proverbs 3:5-6 provides clear guidance: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Leaning away from your own understanding, and turning toward Him, this is what makes our paths straight. It helps place the realities of life into the proper perspective.
God’s Word leads us to straight paths of trust, not a place of despair, frustration, and angst over the realities of life. Just read Psalm 119, and you will see how the psalmist, constantly being harassed and in despair, trusted in God and His Word. Read the psalm with this thought, and your eyes will be opened wide to trust in God’s Word and His sovereign care. The reality is that the Christian life is a life of trust, trust in God; this is reality. When we stop relying solely on our understanding and trust God completely, He will guide us through life’s realities. This is where faith plays its essential role in God’s plan and purpose, even when, especially when, we don’t have all the answers. Find out about God in the God of the Bible, not of your own choosing.
Conclusion
Keep in mind what we have already stated. True faith doesn’t require knowing everything. Instead, it’s based on trusting God’s loving guidance and oversight in every situation. Authentic faith doesn’t shield us from reality; it helps us navigate reality with hope, knowing that our sovereign God works all things together for His glory and our ultimate good (Romans 8:28-29).
A person’s knowledge of God creates their view of God and dictates how they respond to life’s challenges. Ignorance of who God is leads to a small view of God, making Him seem too small and life’s problems too big. But when you truly know God through His Word, His attributes, His character, His sovereignty, your faith, trust, and awe of Him will increase. “Ignorance is worst when it amounts to ignorance of God, and knowledge is best when it exercises itself upon the Name of God. This most excellent knowledge leads to the most excellent grace of faith.”[6].
Knowing the person of God is not unlike learning the person in your life that you love the most. Because you know them, you are familiar with their actions, attitudes, and commitment to you. The pastor’s son, who rejected faith, also rejected reality itself because his false version of reality promised immunity from hardship, and his limited conception of God would not fit into his reality.
His lack of knowing the immeasurable greatness of the God of the Bible caused a blindness to the purposes and love of God, the One who loved and cared for him immensely. True reality acknowledges that God allows difficulties to draw us closer to Him, to teach us something about faith. To conform us into the image of His Son. To show us His steadfast love even when we don’t understand. To demonstrate His everlasting commitment to our good and His glory.
Begin the journey of getting to know God. Study His attributes.[7] Let authentic study and learning about God drive you closer to Him and save you from skepticism, doubt, and despair when facing life’s harsh realities.
Does Faith Require a Need to Know? No!
[1] Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament
[2] Jay E. Adams, The Christian Counselor’s Commentary, Hebrews, James, I & II Peter, and Jude
[3] J. I. Packer, Knowing God, pg. 13
[4] John MacArthur, None Other, Discovering the God of the Bible, pg. 27
[5] Stuart Townend, Thankyou Music.
[6] C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Psalm 9
[7] This is not a comprehensive list; there are other theological treatises on this subject, but it is a good place to start to know and study God. Knowing God, J. I. Packer; Believing God, R.C. Sproul Jr.; The Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozer; The Attributes of God, A. W. Pink; None Other, Discovering the God of the Bible, John MacArthur; The Existence and Attributes of God (Vol. 1&2), Stephen Charnock; Trusting God, Jerry Bridges; When People are Big and God is Small, Edward Welch