“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 ESV).
When the disciples asked why they had been unable to cast the demon out from the boy with seizures, Jesus told them it was because of their “little faith.” This would be better translated, “unbelief,” from the Greek word “apistia” (literally “no faith”). For their faith, or lack thereof, had evidently been shaken by the boy’s condition, causing them to take their eyes off of God and to put them on the boy.
And this was precisely the problem that Jesus brought to their attention. It wasn’t the size of their faith, but the size of their God. For their view of the boy’s problem was bigger than their view of God. Jesus told them that they only needed faith the size of a mustard seed, a seed so small as to make it difficult to see. They didn’t need greater faith, they needed a greater understanding of God!
Jesus used a comparison of lesser to greater to illustrate this faith principle. The “mustard seed” represented the small amount of faith needed and the “mountain” represented the size of the problem faced, in this case, the boy with seizures. Neither the size of their faith, nor the size of the obstacle before them should be their focus. No, their focus was to be on God.
In other words, it is not GREAT faith in God, but faith in a GREAT God that matters. How big is your God? Do you have faith as a mustard seed in Him?
PRAYER: Dear Father, as we study Your Word and grow in knowing You better, our faith in what You can do increases. Not only what You can do, but Your willingness to do it. For we know that You care for us. And our prayers to You are based not only on Your great power, but on Your great love for us. Thank You, Father. In Jesus’ name, amen.