What Does Great Faith Look Like? Lessons from the Canaanite Woman (Matthew 15)
In our daily Group Bible Study devotionals, we examine "What Does Great Faith Look Like?” Yesterday, we looked at the centurion's great faith, so today we look at the only other passage where Jesus commended someone for their great faith. Let’s get into it:
"And Jesus answered her, 'O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.' And her daughter was healed instantly."— Matthew 15:28 (ESV)
The Faith of the Canaanite Woman in Matthew 15
The second person in the Gospels Jesus praised for "great faith" was an outsider—a Canaanite woman from Tyre and Sidon. Her daughter was suffering greatly from a demon, and she was desperate for help. She came to Jesus and called out: "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!" (Matthew 15:22).
What happened next is deeply surprising. Initially, "Jesus did not answer her a word." When His disciples urged Him to send her away because her desperate crying annoyed them, Jesus remarked that His immediate earthly mission was to the lost sheep of Israel.
Why God Allows Unanswered Prayer and Delays
Many people would have surrendered at this point, offended by the apparent silence and initial rejection. But true faith does not retreat when faced with delays or difficult circumstances. Instead of walking away, this woman drew even closer, threw herself at Jesus' feet, and pleaded with simple urgency: "Lord, help me!" (Matthew 15:25).
Jesus then tested her heart with a startling statement: "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." In that culture, "bread" represented the essential, everyday staple of family life, and "the children" referred to God's covenant people.
Instead of becoming defensive or angry at being compared to a household dog outside the covenant, the woman’s quick, faith-filled response turned the metaphor into a plea for mercy: "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table" (Matthew 15:27). She was saying: "Lord, I don't need a whole loaf; just one crumb of Your infinite power is more than enough to set my daughter free!" Hearing this persistent, humble trust, Jesus exclaimed, "Woman, you have great faith!"—and her daughter was instantly healed.
Great teacher Andrew Murray once observed: "When the Lord is to lead a soul to a great faith, He leaves his prayers unheard for a time." God’s temporary silence is never an indication of His indifference. Rather, He often uses unanswered prayer as an invitation to draw us deeper, stripping away superficial religion and developing steadfast endurance within us.
Understanding Healing as the Children's Bread
Jesus declared that healing and divine provision are the "children's bread"—the foundational entitlement provided to every blood-bought child of God through His covenant promises. Yet, many believers surrender right before their breakthrough because they mistake delay for denial.
Consider the historical story of John Derby during the early American gold rush. Derby borrowed money, claimed a plot of land, and successfully mined gold for a season. However, when the gold vein seemingly dried up, he became discouraged and sold his land to another buyer. The new owner hired an engineer who dug just three feet further in the same spot and discovered the richest gold deposit in the entire region!
Derby gave up three feet from glory. How many times do we give up on praying for our families, our health, or our spiritual growth right before God’s answer breaks through? Persistent faith refuses to walk away from the only One who holds the words of eternal life. Keith Thomas
Practical Application for Building Persistent Faith
Reignite a "Dormant" Prayer: Identify one prayer request that you have stopped praying for because God seemed silent or the situation seemed hopeless. Write it down today, commit to praying for it daily for the next month, and refuse to give up.
Claim Your Covenant Provision: As a child of God through Christ, remember that God's grace and help are part of your "daily bread." Identify one specific promise in Scripture that applies to your current need, memorize it, and speak it aloud as your declaration of trust today.
Daily Prayer for Faith and Perseverance
Father, thank You that through Jesus Christ, I am no longer a stranger or an outsider, but a beloved child brought into Your eternal covenant. Forgive me for the times I have allowed delays or unanswered prayers to make me doubtful or bitter. Give me the persistent, humble faith of the Canaanite woman. I place my loved ones and my deep needs into Your hands, believing that even a single word of Your power is sufficient to transform my circumstances. I will keep seeking, keep knocking, and keep trusting in Your unfailing love. Amen.
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Deepen Your Bible Study
Discover how God uses ordinary believers to work extraordinary miracles when they choose to trust His Spirit. Watch the full teaching video for this study on YouTube, available with subtitles in 70 languages. Click the following link:
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· Read the full study online: How Can We Have Great Faith
· Series: This excerpt is taken from the series Growing Faith in God
· Visit the Keith Thomas YouTube Channel for more teachings.
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