"He said to them, "Because of your little 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)
The sun is peaking over the horizon, lighting up the sky in a light orange hue. You have a compass, your thermos and a small backpack full of supplies. You tighten the laces of your boots, ready for a full day of hiking. Taking a deep breath, you survey your surroundings. At first, the trail is easy. The fresh scent of wet pine wafts through the air. Birds are chirping and sunlight illuminates through the trees. You're exploring at a steady pace, enjoying the serenity of your surroundings. But as you venture further, the climb becomes steeper. Overgrown thickets surround you. The air becomes thinner, making it harder and harder for you to catch your breath. Stopping to take a rest, you look at your compass, confused. What changed so fast?
Whether hiking a literal or metaphorical mountain, there are going to be moments in life where we find ourselves trekking through uncertain terrain.
Just look at the headlines that blare across our phones and television screens. It's not hard to understand that we are living in uncertain times.
How we respond to these uncertain moments as believers is so important.
In Matthew 17:20, Jesus stresses to his disciples the importance and power of using our faith.
"He said to them, "Because of your little 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 approximately 1 millimeter in size. It's tiny. So what does it mean to have faith the size of a mustard seed? If I'm being honest, I read Matthew 17:20 and at first glance, I think, but didn't Jesus rebuke his disciples for their little faith? What is the type of faith Jesus is instructing his disciples to have?
Well, for one, Matthew 17:20 highlights the power of our words in exercising our 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).
Our words hold power. Scripture reminds us that death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits (Psalm 18:21).
Prayer and praise can positively shift any negative or uncertain situation.
In addition to our words, Matthew 17:20 highlights the power of trusting in the Lord. As believers, it's important for us to believe in the Lord's power over any situation and take his words to heart.
Faith is always more powerful than fear. Scripture reminds us that "for God gave us a spirit NOT of fear but of power and love and self- control." 2 Timothy 1:7
No matter the uncertainties we face, we can have certainty in Jesus and his words.We can turn to the Bible and know that with God all things are possible! By allowing the Holy Spirit to order our next steps and transform the way we speak, we can use our faith, big or small, to move mountains.
"Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness." Psalm 37:3
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