Scripture: Matthew 17:20
Key Verses: 20He replied, “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.”
Spiritual B3
How do you overcome unbelief? On this journey there has to come a point when you make the decision to go all in, because that’s the only way. Our story now transitions to the gospel of Matthew, where Jesus gives a full answer as to why the disciples were not able heal the boy. Jesus says, “Because you have so little faith.”
I was having a conversation with a close friend about what God had laid on my heart to get believers back to prayer and the belief to see miracles, signs, and wonders. Suddenly, it hit me like a lightening bolt, then all of a sudden it was like an instant replay screen of every decision I made that was against what I knew was God’s purpose on my life. But not only did I see the past, I began to see the future of how those continued actions were about to derail my destiny. What really shook me was that unlike the disciples in the text, the physical person of Jesus was not going to show up and save the day. It was me—my words and my actions that would determine the outcome of this story and every story of my life going forward.
I felt relieved and convicted at the same time. Relieved first because God cared enough to reveal it to me quickly and second because I understood that I was making it harder than it had to be: I could actually do this. Jesus said, all it takes is “faith as small as a mustard seed”. God said it doesn’t take much, I do all the heavy lifting, you just have to put a seed in the ground and be patient, because the only thing that grows quickly out of the ground is weeds, never trees.
The conviction was because I had not properly cultivated and protected that seed leading up to those moments of my potential failings, especially because I knew I was vulnerable to unproductive thoughts, feelings, and emotions while I was recovering from a fatigued, frustrated, and feeling like my faith had failed season. I better understood the frustration of Jesus in verse 17 of Matthew’s account of the story, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?” Jesus was telling the disciples and us, our perverse actions, meaning corrupted and contrary to not only the will of God, but equally important the great multitude who needed help with their unbelief because their faith hung in the balance. My actions or lack of action had the potential to tip the scales of their belief one way or the other. I heard Jesus say, “what else do you need to see from Me Reggie, have I failed to show you that everything you really want is on the other side of going all the way in?” I made a decision then and there, and the rest has been history!
The next few days go into detail about the power of faith the size of a mustard seed to see mountains move in your life, and that anchored in the Word of God nothing shall be impossible for you!
CPR Kit for the Soul:
- Centering Theme: Find your quiet place and open your mind for God to show you who are the people in your life that are watching and waiting for you to be the example of the difference that a surrendered life that is all in for Jesus can make and turn the tide of their unbelief. Remember, it’s not about you!
- Prayer Topic: Help to identify the seed and necessary steps to cultivate and protect that seed.
- Reflection Thought: The root of all sin is selfishness; the correction is self-lessness in Christ Jesus
T3 Prayer Booster:
- Dear Lord, please open my eyes to see that it’s not about me, and I am the only Jesus that they will see
- Lord, I’ve been here before, but help me to make this time different by revealing to me the future consequences of me continuing to work against Your will and plan for my life. Please give me the conviction to cultivate and protect that seed that makes the difference, and patience to trust the process.
- Father God expose the areas of my selfishness will that must surrender to your will because You’ve done too much for me and I’m tired of letting You and the people who need to see You in me down.
