The word 'disciple' means 'learner' or 'pupil'. Matthew had already recorded the feeding of 5000 families (Matthew 14:13-21) and in the next chapter he writes about 4000 hungry families waiting for Jesus to care for them. We know that the two events occurred separately and in that order (Matthew 16:9-10). So why did the disciples ask Jesus where the food might come from?
 
They had already found seven loaves and some fish. So why did they not trust the Lord to act powerfully as He had before? Had they learned nothing?
 
Apparently not! Matthew admits his complicity in this; he was one of the disciples who could not understand and did not trust. But the Lord was patient with them. Following the same routine, He got His men to sit the families in manageable groups before He multiplied the picnic into a banquet. Once again the disciples were involved in handing out the food. Why did they not trust the Lord Jesus to do what He had done before?
 
Before we criticise those men too heavily; are we not like them at times? The Lord has been kind and compassionate to us before, He has answered our prayers and provided for our needs; and yet we still react with blind eyes and zero memory! We panic instead of praying and are troubled instead of trusting. Have we learned nothing too? Mercifully the Lord does not give up on us. He keeps teaching us and urging us to engage with His purposes. Yes, we may be slow, but He is a consistent teacher. The only way to learn to trust - is to dare to trust, expecting God to act. Practice your faith practically today by believing that He is in command and committing yourself to work with Him.