March 13, 2023
How Much Faith Does It Take?
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
He (Jesus) replied, “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 NIV).
Friend to Friend
I am not a quitter! What some might call stubbornness, I prefer to call perseverance – especially when it comes to growing flowers and plants.
We recently downsized and moved to a house with a small wooden deck in the backyard. I took one look at that deck and could almost hear it crying out for beautiful plants spilling over the edges of brightly colored ceramic planters. My stubbornness … uh, perseverance … kicked in, and I thought, “I can do this!”
I headed to the local nursery where they know me. And by “know me” I mean they understand that I can kill just about any living plant known to mankind.
Linda greeted me with a smile. Linda and I have become friends over the years as I have tried to grow various plants and flowers. She is well aware of my limitations in the world of plants and is so sweet about it. When I explained what I wanted for the deck, Linda smiled and said, “Follow me.”
When we reached the section of plants and seeds labeled “Hardy” I could feel my confidence kick in. A beautiful display of plants, trees, and packages of seeds greeted me. Linda began to explain what she thought would work best as she picked out several starter packs of Peonies and Daylilies, explaining that it is nearly impossible to kill either one. I was only half-listening.
The display of seeds caught my eye. One packet of seeds grabbed my attention. It was the mustard seed. I began to read the information on the back of the packet. I didn’t want to plant the seeds, but I was fascinated by how small they were. They were tiny!
And then I remembered what Jesus said in the Bible about the mustard seed.
“He (Jesus) replied, ‘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 NIV).
Scripture tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God. When we hear those words, we assume the Bible is describing the kind of faith we read about in the lives of the disciples as they healed the sick, made the blind to see, and performed miracles in the name of Jesus. It is! But that faith began with a tiny seed – a seed as small as a mustard seed.
Jesus tells us that we don't need a lot of faith to produce great results. We just need to be sure where that faith is planted. And once planted, it will grow if we faithfully feed and water it.
Don’t miss this truth! When our faith rests in God alone, we can and should expect incredible results.
“Faith means being sure of the things we hope for. And faith means knowing that something is real even if we do not see it” (Hebrews 11:1 ICB).
God wants us to trust Him – to have faith in Him - even when we do not understand what is happening and life seems unfair. Even when nothing makes sense, and the plan seems totally wrong.
God did not come to eliminate the storms of life. God came to fill each storm with His presence. It is easy to trust Him when the seas of life are calm, and the skies are clear. The true strength of our faith is measured in the midst of a raging storm.
A crisis always reveals what is really inside. What life does to us depends on what life finds in us. Faith is a deliberate choice to believe God, to walk through our fear, knowing we can trust Him.
And all it takes is faith the size of a mustard seed.
Let’s Pray
Father, I confess to You that my faith is weak. Forgive me for giving in to doubts and fears. I know Your plan for me is certainty and hope. Please help me face today with Your faith in my heart. Enable me to walk straight ahead through my fear, knowing You are with me. Today, I choose faith. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
What storm are you facing today? What steps do you need to take to face that storm with faith instead of fear?
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© 2023 by Mary Southerland. All rights reserved.
Originally published Monday, 13 March 2023.
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