Mustard Seed Faith

For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of 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).

A mustard seed is really small. It is barely 2mm across. Jesus teaches us that if we have an itty bitty faith, then nothing will be impossible for us. I find this teaching difficult to believe because some of things I want I know full well are impossible for me to attain.

The interesting thing is that my confession here is ironic. It is ironic because I said that I find it very difficult to believe that if I have a little belief mountains will move and the impossible will be done. I say difficult to believe, but not impossible. Could it be, then, that my tiny bit of belief mixed in with my doubt will be sufficient to prove Jesus promise?

Today, I was reminded of this parable because I did not feel like praying, and when I did pray, I did not feel particularly inspired. I asked God to help me, not because I felt like I needed help, but because I know that I do. I prayed for my family, for my fellow elders, and for my friends. If they had heard me pray, they would have probably doubted my sincerity as much as I did. I was tired, distracted, and did not feel particularly earnest. I had the ear of heaven, and I rambled. I confess it is true. It is a sad beginning to the day when even your prayers discourage you.

I felt like I needed to go and have a prayer "do-over." I felt like maybe I needed to apologize for my lack of passion in prayer. Then, this beautiful promise from God's Word burst forth in my soul, "If you have faith like a grain of a mustard seed..." I immediately seized this passage, and I wielded against my doubtful soul. I asked, "Soul, why do you doubt that God has heard your prayer, pitiful as it was? Because you did not feel passion? Because you doubt that He will hear and answer your cry?" My soul answered, "Yes, this is precisely the case." I then asked, "Soul, why did you even bother to pray? Why did you bother to read the requests you have written before the Lord? Was it merely out of duty?" My soul answered, "No, I did it because I hoped, even in my doubt, that God would hear me and help me." Then I answered my soul, "Ah, my soul, then be content to know that your Lord has certainly heard you and will help you. He loves you, even in your doubting, and He will surely answer you for His Name's sake."

A mustard seed is a small thing beloved. I confess that I often bring it before the Lord wrapped in the kernel of my doubt. But he sees it, my little mustard seed faith, and he hears me. He will hear you in your doubting, too. He will move your mountains, and he will make the impossible possible.

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God. (Psalm 42:11).