Why a Childlike Spirit Matters for Your Faith

Do you struggle to have a childlike spirit? This has been a challenge for me for as long as I can remember. But I’m learning to recapture my childlike spirit because it helps me stay closer to God.

A Childlike Spirit

People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
Luke 18:15-17 NIV

I have always been a serious person, even as a child. This is what my teachers used to say about me: “An old soul.” “Wise beyond her years.” “A fine and serious student.” Those descriptions have applied to me since kindergarten. I preferred watching the other kids play on the playground to joining in their games.

This is partly due to my personality. I’m an Enneagram 1, and an INFJ on the Meyers-Briggs scale. These wirings are from God himself, who knew I would lean toward melancholy all my life, even before I was born. This may be true of you as well.

It’s also partly due to the fact I had to grow up overnight at age four when my parents divorced. I distinctly remember feeling discouraged about getting myself dressed as a four-year-old, needing help with buttons yet having no one to ask. Adulting is something I’ve been doing ever since then. You may have experienced similar trauma at a young age that took away your childhood too soon.

Yet God sees the child inside you, and loves that child as much as the adult version of you. When we keep in touch with our childlike side, it can help us stay connected to God. Lately my Heavenly Father has been asking me to remember times when I felt childlike and carefree. Even though my photographic memory has recorded many sad and painful memories, I was able to dig out a happy one with the Holy Spirit’s help. I want to share it with you today.

Recapturing a Childlike Spirit

I remember feeling childlike when I played in the autumn leaves at age three. The first thing I remember is the dry, savory scent of the yellow and brown maple leaves all around me. The bright October afternoon sunlight warms my face. I hear the leaves crunching as I step on them. I feel the softness of the flannel shirt and the corduroy overalls under my windbreaker.

My little hands scoop up as many leaves as I can hold in my arms. I pile them into a mountain in our yard right at the edge of the dead-end street, and I fall backwards into it. I look up and see the clear blue sky through the branches becoming bare, and I giggle as the leaves fall into my hair and onto my face. The points of the stems poke me all over. I get up and repeat this gathering and falling cycle again and again, finding joy in play.

Do you have a childhood memory that helps you feel carefree and joyful? Treasure this memory, because it has much to teach you about faith.

Why a Childlike Spirit Matters to Your Faith

I believe God wants me to stay in touch with that joyful childlike spirit I once had. I think he wants that for you, too, and that’s why he led me to write this devotion for you to read today. Jesus told us that we must be like little children to receive his kingdom. Children are teachable, trusting and open. They find joy in the smallest pleasures. Life is a wonder to them. Their innocence and playfulness is inspiring.

I’m so glad that Jesus welcomed little children into his presence. In his culture, giving children this type of focused attention was unheard of, especially as a Jewish teacher in front of a crowd. But Jesus elevated the children by blessing them and holding them close. He praised their humble spirit and made it an example for all of us to follow.

I want to tap into my childlike side more often, because it reminds me to put my trust in God instead of my capabilities. My childlike side loves celebrating God’s handiwork in nature. It loves playing chase with my dog, laughing with my tween and teen children, listening to music I liked as a teenager, and doing a few things just for fun.

Which activities connect you with your childlike spirit? Try to tap into them at least once per week, though once per day would be even better. Use these activities to remember God’s love for you throughout your life, and to develop a deeper trust in him.

Questions for you:

Which childhood memories give you joy?

How does your childlike side help you connect with God?

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