Simply Believe

When faith feels complicated, remember Jesus’ simple invitation: "Believe in Me."

When I was growing up, The Wiz was one of those movies that stayed with me. It was the 1978 remake of The Wizard of Oz with an all-Black cast including Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Nipsey Russell as the Tin Man, Richard Pryor as the Wiz, and Lena Horne as Glinda the Good Witch. If you’ve never watch it, you should!

At the very end, Glinda sings to Dorothy, reminding her that everything she needed to get home was already within her reach. She didn’t need another sign or another miracle—just belief. Some of the lyrics go a little like this,

“Believe that you can go home
Just believe you can float on air
And click your heels three times
If you believe, then you’d be there.”

Now, the song definitely carries a self-empowerment tone, and that’s not at all what I’m promoting here. But I do think the song is helpful in conceptually understanding belief. And not just belief in ourselves, but belief as Scripture defines it: trusting in the truth of who God is and taking Him at His Word.

That phrase “simply believe” sounds small, and yet for many, it’s the hardest part of faith. It’s hard to simply believe that God is who He says He is and that He does what He says He will do.

For some, that difficulty stems from not knowing God by a lack of biblical knowledge because they haven’t encountered Him through His Word. For others, it’s a matter of sheer unbelief which, at the core, is a willful refusal to surrender to what they already know is true. Either way, faith begins where self-sufficiency ends, when we choose to simply believe God.

The Work God Requires

“Then they said to Him, ‘What must we do, to be doing the works of God?’
Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’”
— John 6:28–29 (ESV)

These verses sit at the heart of a powerful moment in Jesus’ ministry. Just one day earlier, He had miraculously fed more than five thousand people with only five barley loaves and two fish, and when everyone had eaten their fill, twelve baskets of leftovers remained (John 6:1–14).

The miracle took place on a grassy hillside near the Sea of Galilee, in a region bustling with travelers and fishermen. The crowd was astonished and began to murmur that Jesus must be “the Prophet who is to come into the world” (John 6:14). But instead of understanding the sign for what it was—proof of His divine identity—they fixated on what He could provide. They wanted a king who would meet their physical needs and restore Israel’s earthly kingdom.

That evening, Jesus withdrew from the crowd, crossing the Sea of Galilee toward Capernaum (John 6:15–17) and the next day, the same people traveled by boat to find Him (John 6:24–25). When they did, Jesus confronted their motives directly:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.” — John 6:26

Then He told them not to “work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life” (John 6:27). That phrase, “food that endures,” piqued their curiosity. They asked, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” (John 6:28)

Their question revealed a mindset of striving. They foolishly assumed that eternal life could be earned through effort. But Jesus’ response redefined everything:

“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” — John 6:29

To a people shaped by centuries of law-keeping and sacrifice, this was quite radical. The true “work” of God wasn’t about performance; it was about faith. Jesus pointed them (and us) away from self-reliance toward Himself, the true Bread of Life (John 6:35).

Different People, Same Problem

Reading this passage, it’s easy to not see ourselves in that crowd. They had seen Jesus’ power, yet their hearts still craved something more visible; another sign, another feeling, another guarantee. How could they be so silly, right? (Insert sarcasm here).

Well, we may not be chasing loaves and fish, but we often chase similar assurances. We want God to prove Himself first, to show us evidence before we’ll trust Him. In short, we want the witness before the obedience.

But that’s not how faith works. God’s assurance follows surrender, not the other way around.

Abraham believed God’s promise before he ever saw it fulfilled (Genesis 15:6). The father in Mark’s Gospel cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). Each act of faith required trust before sight, belief before proof.

As Oswald Chambers said, “We are in danger of getting the barter spirit when we come to God; we want the witness before we have done what God tells us to do.”

Biblical belief doesn’t ask for validation; it rests in revelation. It trusts that God is who He says He is and that His Word is true, even when understanding lags behind.

Like Dorothy in The Wiz, we often spend so much time searching for something external to anchor us when what we need has already been given. God’s Word is not silent. His promises are not hidden. The invitation of Jesus is still the same: “Believe in Me.”

When You Struggle to Believe

Unbelief doesn’t always look the same. Sometimes it’s open resistance; other times, it’s quiet hesitation. But at its core, unbelief resists truth.

There are layers to it.

For some, unbelief stems from not knowing the truth—they’ve never encountered God through His Word. While creation testifies that God exists (Romans 1:19–20), it is through Scripture that He reveals who He is and what He has done through Christ.

If this is where you find yourself—unsure, unfamiliar, maybe curious but not yet convinced—start with God’s Word. Read it not as a ritual, but as a relationship. Ask God to show you who He is. Don’t read alone; learn under faithful teachers who handle Scripture rightly (2 Timothy 2:15). Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ (Romans 10:17).

For others, unbelief isn’t about ignorance but resistance. You know what’s true, but your heart hesitates to yield. If that’s you, let your next step be prayer and surrender.

Be honest with God, like the father who cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). That prayer isn’t weakness; it’s honesty. And honesty before God is the starting point of transformation.

As Oswald Chambers wrote, “Immediately you transact on the Redemption and stop the impertinence of debate, God gives you the witness.” Chambers is simply saying the moment you stop arguing with God and simply trust what Jesus has already done for you, then the Holy Spirit gives you the assurance that it’s true. Belief isn’t about trying harder; it’s about surrendering deeper. It’s letting go of control so the Spirit can bear witness in your heart that His Word is true (Romans 8:16).

So wherever you are, whether unsure because you don’t yet know the truth, or weary because you’ve resisted it, the invitation is the same:

Open your Bible.
Open your heart.
Read. Pray. Surrender.

And trust that God will do what He has always done: reveal Himself to those who seek Him (Jeremiah 29:13).

The Way Home

In the final scene of The Wiz, Dorothy closes her eyes, clicks her heels three times, and suddenly finds herself home. The journey was never about discovering something new; it was about recognizing what had been true all along.

Faith works much the same way. The way home—to peace, to joy, to God Himself—has already been made through Christ. You don’t have to earn it or chase it down. You don’t need another sign or miracle. You simply need to believe.

Not in yourself.
Not in circumstance.
But in the God who sent His Son, who calls you to trust Him, and who meets every surrendered heart with grace.