So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move;

and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Matthew 17:20 (NKJV)

Jesus often rebuked his disciples with the familiar “O ye of little faith” statement. Do you ever feel like part of their group? I can shout Amen to that. During difficult seasons, our faith often scampers away like my cat in a thunderstorm. Anxiety rises to all-new heights. Fear paralyzes us, and  doubt floods our hearts. Discouragement suddenly deceives us. What’s the use? God’s not listening.

Israel knew what “mountain moving” meant. A literal mountain wasn’t going to literally move. Rather, “mountain moving” referred to the impossible. All things are possible with God (Matt. 19:26). The impossible diagnosis. The impossible dilemma. The impossible needs that arise. The impossible stress weighing on our shoulders. All of those plus more become possible with God.

In Jesus time, the mustard seed was the tiniest seed known to man. Yet, that mustard seed had a very special ability to grow into a fifteen feet tall tree. When Jesus talked about the mustard seed, He knew our faith would grow, just like its namesake.

Each trial becomes an opportunity for increase. Faith is simply trusting God. Instead of wringing our hands, we trust God. Instead of sleepless nights, we trust God. Instead of giving in, we trust God.

God is all-powerful, and we place our faith in Him. That’s why it only takes mustard seed faith to believe. Even a tiny faith trusting in a mighty God can move mountains.

In your kitchen, you probably have a toaster or crockpot. If you forget to plug them in, do they work? No, because even though you have the newest gadgets (faith), you still need to connect it to a power source (God). Once you plug your kitchen appliance into an electrical outlet where it connects with the electricity flowing into your house, you have power.

Our prayers make the connection with our power source, God.

Dear friend, our faith will grow just like the mustard seed. Soon, peace will surround us where panic used to strike. Fear will take flight. Faith will diminish worry. A constant joy will abide even during times of sorrow

Not long ago, I boldly told God to move a particular mountain. I prayed something along these lines: I believe You will do this, and I trust You completely. I refuse to worry about it because this is too big for me. You have to move the mountain like You promised. Not only did He move the mountain, He provided exceedingly abundantly beyond what I asked. That is the power of God when we pray.

Our trust isn’t in our words, our prayers, or our faith itself, but in God Almighty. When we feel our faith has failed, it’s a growth spurt. Because in our hardest days, faith is growing.

Dear Lord, thank You for giving me strength when my own faith is so weak. Help me remember You are still working. Amen.

Related Resource

My faith grew so weak during my recovery from surgery, and I am so blessed by that last paragraph. Something else that has helped me was my last book: Faith That Walks on Water. Learn more here.

Originally posted on September 21, 2023 @ 8:00 pm