When Faith Becomes Real
In Mark 4, the disciples found themselves caught in a furious storm. The waves crashed over their boat until it was nearly full, yet Jesus was asleep in the back. In fear, they woke Him, crying out for help. With just a word, Jesus rebuked the wind and waves, and a great calm settled over the sea. Then He asked them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”
This moment shows the difference between simply believing and truly knowing. The disciples believed enough to follow Jesus and call on Him in trouble, but they didn’t yet know the depth of His authority and power. Believing is choosing to trust God’s Word when we can’t see how it will work out. Knowing comes when we’ve experienced His faithfulness for ourselves. Belief is abstract, but knowing is relational.
Life Application
How many times do we hear what the Lord is telling us, yet hold back because we don’t see how it could ever happen? I know this from my own walk. The Lord told me I would be a teacher and a minister of His Word. But at first, I didn’t really believe Him. If I had, I would’ve started studying on my own, built stronger habits, and prepared before I was ever assigned to teach. Instead, I stayed with just my basic Bible reading and prayer.
It wasn’t until I knew—deep in my spirit—that I started to change. Now I study, pray, and fast, not because I have to, but because I want to grow closer to Him. As Tim Green once said, “when you know, that you know, that you know”—you move differently. That’s the shift between believing something in theory and knowing it in your bones.
And here’s the truth: God is calling us to a new level. We can’t keep doing what we’ve always done and expect different results. You’ve heard the saying, “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always gotten.” I don’t know about you, but I want to grow. I want to draw closer. I want to be the kind of person the Lord delights to use, not someone He has to push into obedience.
That kind of relationship doesn’t happen by accident; it takes intentional pursuit. And you won’t truly grasp the importance of intimacy with the Lord until you know, with every fiber of your being, that Jesus is the One you will trust and follow.
Prayer
Lord, bring me deeper. Don’t let me settle for surface-level faith. Help me move from just believing to truly knowing You, so I can grow into the person You desire to use for Your glory.
