Our home has several crawl spaces that are accessible on the second floor. Small doors open to a secret world kids love to explore. As adults, we know these spaces as the attic.

Our grandchildren are ready to crawl and walk through this secret world without reservation. In fact, one of our grandsons said, “Grandpa, you live in a castle!”

As for me, I enter these spaces cautiously. For some reason, I don’t trust the plywood and massive joists to hold me up. I envision falling through to the floor below. My fear is unfounded, but real.

All my grandchildren are less fearful that I am! They’ll play in the attic with no fear at all while I’m afraid to go in. How’s that for being humbled?

In my walk with God, I wish I had the faith of a five-year-old. A five-year-old believes, no questions asked.

The same “attic fear” creeps into my life. I’m sure you have some of that, too. These might be some of your fearful thoughts . . .

“Lord, are we going to make it financially this month?”

“God, my kids are turning away from you.”

“Father, please make this pain be nothing serious.”

Our God is trustworthy. We know that. So why do we doubt God when the stuff of life hits?  Why is our faith shaky?

How can I have the faith of a five-year-old?

I think the solution is to know God for who he is. That may sound simple . . . because it is.

We have a habit of making God in our image. We won’t openly admit it, but we think of God as limited.

Here is who God really is.

Eternal. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8 NIV)

Trustworthy and faithful. “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5 NIV)

Giver of everlasting life. “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.’” (John 11:25)

Powerful. “For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?” (2 Samuel 22:32 NIV)

Lord of all. “He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.” (Psalm 147:4-5 NIV)

Love and loving. “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love.” (I John 4:16)

Good. “For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.” (Psalm 86:5 ESV)

This is the God who is at the center of our faith. It’s dangerous when we wander away from these truths and see God as weak, incapable, finite and not worthy of our trust. How tragic.

Immerse yourself in the true God. Study the verses above. Think about them. Let the reality of who God is sink in. He is the one you can always turn to.

(From my upcoming book, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Faith. Releasing January 1).