Today I was reading Matthew 17:14-23 in which a man asked Jesus to cast the demon out of his son. The disciples were not able to do it. Jesus proceeded to do it and the disciples asked why they were not able to cast out the demon. Jesus told them, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, 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.”
Jesus didn’t say any more here, but I have some thoughts. I think these are thoughts, possibly inspired, but not revelations. First of all, I have never heard of a mountain moving because of someone’s faith. Perhaps no one has ever had faith the size of a mustard seed. (How do you measure the size of someone’s faith?) I have never heard of Jesus moving a mountain either. How about walking on water? Peter did it. Jesus came walking on the water to the boat the disciples were in and when Peter recognized him, he asked Jesus to bid him come. Jesus did, so Peter stepped out of the boat and started walking toward Jesus. He only went a little way but he had enough faith for that short distance to do what is humanly impossible, defying gravity. (Matthew 14:25-31) For a moment Peter had mustard seed-sized faith. That is the only instance I have ever heard of someone walking on water. Has no one since those few seconds of Peter had mustard seed-sized faith?
Here is a related question. Suppose the mountain blocks my view of the sunset so with mustard seed-sized faith I tell it to move north two miles so I can see the sunset. Will it move? My opinion is that there is something else hidden here that is not mentioned. Jesus told Peter to come to him. I think that is important. I doubt that even mustard seed-sized faith would move the mountain that blocks my view of the sunset. If Jesus wanted the mountain moved and I agreed with sufficient faith it would move, but not because my prayer is based solely on some self-serving need. I believe the mustard seed-sized faith accomplishing miracles only applies when the faith is exercised in obedience to Jesus requests and will. I don’t think the power of the Holy Spirit is given to us for self-seeking gratification. That is inconsistent with God’s nature and therefore His will for our lives. But if something miraculous and unusual would be glorifying to God and consistent with His will, then we could facilitate its happening through mustard seed-sized faith. We must be fully operating within His will in our lives, as Jesus was, to see the mustard seed-sized faith accomplish great things.
Unfortunately, I don’t know how faith is measured, but I am quite sure I have not come up to mustard seed-sized faith yet. How about you? Have you ever had a mustard seed-sized faith, and what miracles did you see happen as a result?
I think it’s very hard to conclude a spiritual qualification within our human minds. How to determine if we actually have ‘mustard seed faith’ is not possible. I believe and know 100% the Lord can do ALL THINGS because He’s THE LORD!!! I don’t know many times what He actually wants to do… thus my seeking and trusting continue.
It’s the Holy Spirit that acts when it’s the Father’s desire, which is such a mystery to us. The question ‘why he does or does not do something’ results because our human brains ask that naïve question seeking an answer … because we can’t even go (can’t go ‘yet’!) to His Kingdom’s place.
Thank you for your comments and observations. Indeed much of heaven and God’s purposes are “Beyond Imagination”, and we must just have faith. But I thank Him for the understanding that He does allow us to have.