The Magic in the Faith of a Child and how to handle a young, seeking heart

The faith of a child is magical. In my own child, I’ve seen clarity of understanding and richness of devotion that was simply beyond human explanation. Her faith is so incredibly rich, it has encouraged mine in return.

While we cannot take credit, if we point them in His direction, God does truly work in them in ways we cannot understand. If only we all had such faith. I know it isn’t magic, but it is supernatural.

I realized the incredible beauty in the sweet faith of a child as I watched my daughter developing her own faith as a very young child. But the magical part is how God worked in her. He grew her love for Him. I pointed her in the right direction and armed her with truth, but watching God reveal His truths to her has just amazed me.

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Several years ago, while I had renewed my commitment to Christ, I hadn’t quite allowed His grace to extend to my mothering. I had a plan for what motherhood meant.

I was still trying to do life my way!

God convicted me that my “perfect” parenting meant I wasn’t letting God be in control of her life. I needed to surrender and recognize that this child was not mine, but His.

For both of our sakes, I needed Him to intervene in my heart, so I could learn to share my faith with her in ways that allow God to be living and active in her life.

Romans 10:17 ESV “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

To build the faith of a child, she needed to see and hear and live God’s word daily.

I had to demonstrate my faith daily, especially in front of my daughter, making a point to live out loud for Him, which meant talking my inner prayer dialogue with her.

Building the faith of a child required living mine more completely, more transparently. Click To Tweet

We talked about obeying God when I made hard choices, when I lost my temper, when we struggled with using our kind voices.

I began to work on my witness through letting God change me from the inside out. Spending serious time in His word and living it.

Titus 2:7-8 “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned…”

We thanked God for each new day, for sending His son. We read her bible together, and I spent more time in mine in her presence.

After awhile, she began asking questions like, “Do I have Jesus in my heart?” “Am I a Christian?”

I answered she is learning who God is, and when she is old enough to understand, she can choose to ask Jesus into her heart.

She asked with the innocent faith of a child, but how could I be certain she really understood making a decision for Christ?

She was so little, only 4, and didn’t even understand the days of the week yet. How could I let her make this huge decision so young?

How young is too young to make a decision for Christ? Should we ask them to wait? #faithofachild Click To Tweet

Proverbs teaches,

Proverbs 22:6 ESV “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

I became a Christian at 6, but have turned away from my faith many times. Only God’s grace has brought me back, and I really want her to have a faith that avoids falling away.

Of course, I really want her to know God’s love and accept Christ’s redemption, but I had concerns about her actual comprehension of what it all means.

But a few months later when she implored me, “Mommy, please let me have Jesus in my heart.”

Her sweet small voice tugged at my heartstrings. I could feel Jesus tell me not to turn her away from following Him.

Even when Jesus was exhausted and weary, he would not turn away the children.

Maybe she didn’t/doesn’t quite understand all the details yet, but she knows she loves Jesus. And when Jesus said to let the children come to Him, He further taught that we adults should should strive to have the faith of a child ourselves.

So, we stopped eating lunch and prayed together.

“Dear Lord, she wants Jesus to be her savior, to come into her heart. If this is her time to come to you, Lord, please draw her close to You and continue to work in her heart. If not, stay close and protect her until she’s truly ready.”

Then I let her pray what she wanted to say. “Dear Jesus, I want you in my heart to help keep the ‘debil’ out and God in me so I know how to not be naughty.” It was sweet and beautiful.

I don’t know if it was truly her decision day, but I don’t believe choosing Jesus is a magical formula of a single prayer. It is a daily life-long dying to our flesh and choosing Jesus as savior.

For now, I have to just keep living my witness; being real in my need for forgiveness when I fail.

And celebrate with the angels over my sweet daughter tonight.

Luke 15:10 ESV “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Wish I could have heard the singing. I can only imagine.

Turns out the best way to shepherd a seeking heart is to lead them to the Shepherd because He loves the faith of a child.

Since that day, she made the decision to be baptized at age 7 AND took the mic to tell the church that she was ready to tell the world about her choice to follow Jesus. I am in awe at times of her knowledge of the scriptures and the intellectual depth of her questions.

The most magical part of the faith of a child is that it shines a light so brightly it illuminates the need for my own faith to be like hers.