Faith as Small as a Mustard Seed

“Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20)

I think there are still many people who have wrong perceptions or misconceptions about this parable. This morning I found it on my friend. She called me in the midst of my busy time. I had to postpone some of my appointment today to talk with her. My friend said: “Karin!  Until now I still could not move “the mountain” as it says in Matthew 17:20. The problem that I told you few weeks ago still there!  And everything that I asked to God seems not answered. How come?” then I listened to her ravings about this issue.

This is once again about faith. But she had misconception about faith which was written in its verse. She believed it to mean that if she prayed “the mountain” she lived on would move. So she prayed and prayed again but hence “the mountain” did not move. My friend’s problem is similar with Jesus’ disciples who had been relying on their own power to cast a devil out of child. (Matthew 17:18, 19). The disciples asked to Jesus why they were unable to cast out the devil. Then Jesus spoke to them this parable is about the grain of mustard seed to show them that they only needed a small amount of faith in Him to have made the devil leave the child.

My dear blogger, this parable applies to us as well. When we put our trust and faith in God anything is possible for Him. It is not the faith alone that makes it possible. God produces the result because of our faith in Him. We cannot simply will something to happen and say I have faith that I can make this happen. It can only come through trust in The Lord. “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

After listening to her long complaint, I asked my friend to refer a Bible verse from Matthew 26:39: “…My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” When we ask to God for something and have faith in Him to answer our prayer, we have to follow Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane before Jesus was arrested. We have to trust that God knows what is best for us and that He will work for our Goodness. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”(Romans 8:28).

There may be times when our prayer is not answered. But do not these things make our faith become wavering. We should to remember that God’s will is not our will and God’s will is the best for us.Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane should be a good example for us that let God’s will be done for us. Having a good faith is not enough without trust and knowing what God’s will is. We often pray with faith in God but behind our prayer we still expect that our will that be done, not God’s will.

Finally, I give bit suggestions to my friend to spend more time with God, learn about God in His word, read the bible every day and make daily reflecting on His word, spend more time with God through prayer. It all will strengthen our faith in God. God always has a purpose in every our problems. Although our problems seem unsolved, God is at work behind our problems. We just need to put our faith in God, trust in Him, do not put our faith just for our own will but learn to comprehend what God’s will upon us. Amen.

“Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.” (Proverb 28:26)

“Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.” (Psalm 2:12)

 Bible verse suggestion from Bob :“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14-15)

Karina – Living by Faith

Photo credit: beaconfallscongregational.org