Being a “Trekkie,” I couldn’t resist the title of this blog.
It just kind of flowed easily since “faith” rhymed with “space.” Initially, it
was meant to be humorous and catchy—but the more I thought about it, the more
truth I realized it holds.
Isn’t our faith pivotal in so many ways, across so
many areas and levels? Spiritually speaking, that is. I’m beginning to wonder
if faith really is the final frontier in our journey to know God. Once
we truly “get” and understand what Jesus is saying, maybe we actually will go
where few have gone before.
Let’s start with the verse above. Does anyone else struggle
with this? I mean, really. I can see how my faith might rank a little low on a
scale of 1 to 10—but surely it’s bigger than a mustard seed! So why am I
not seeing mountains move when I pray? What am I missing?
The other day, while listening to the Gospels, I heard Jesus
say, “Have faith in God”
(Mark 11:22), and it made me pause. Where is my faith—and what is it in?
You know how you can hear something for years and not really
get it? This felt like one of those moments.
I realized I needed to re-evaluate my faith in God.
That seems to be a crucial piece. Isn’t that exactly what Jesus said? Have
faith in God.
When I really examined it, I saw that I often put my faith
in my own ability—trying hard to believe, striving to say the right
words, almost like I could will the mountain to move (insert full-body
flexing and grunting here). My faith was in my effort to make something happen,
believing that God would empower me to do it.
Once again, I had made it about me. Without even
realizing it, I had taken my eyes off of God and placed them squarely on
myself.
Take the mustard seed scripture again:
“…you
have so little faith [in God]. I tell you the truth, if you have faith [in
God] as small as a mustard seed… nothing will be impossible for you.”
Doesn’t that change how you hear it?
“He
said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith
[in God]?" Mark 4:40 ...Ouch.
“When
Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him,
he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith [in God]
even in Israel." Luke 7:9.
He is saying that he has not found anyone in Israel with
greater faith in God than a Roman Centurion!! Wow!!
Here are a couple more:
- “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith [in God] may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22:32)
- “Why are you so afraid? Do
you still have no faith [in God]?” (Mark 4:40)
And then Jesus says it plainly:
“Anyone
who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing…”
(John 14:12)
Faith in Him. Not in ourselves. Not in the outcome.
Not in the method.
So, what does it really mean to have faith in God?
Tom and I have talked about this many times, and we keep
coming back to this:
It means trusting that God is good—that what He says
is good, what He does is good, and that He will do what He says He will do… no
matter what things look or feel like.
When we take our eyes off the mountain, the fig tree, and
our circumstances—and fix them on God—His will becomes our focus, not ours.
Jesus prayed that we would be one with God, just as
He is (John 17:11). He said over and over that He only did what the Father told
Him to do. Never His own will—only the Father’s.
So, when we are aligned with God—when we are one with
Him—and He wants the mountain moved… it will move. Because God is
the one moving it. Not us.
One of the mistakes I’ve made over and over is assuming God would empower my will.
For example, I might pray: “God, I have faith that You’ll
give me $10,000 so I can do great things for You!” And if it doesn’t happen,
I’m left wondering why. But the truth is, my faith wasn’t in God—it was in my
desire for the outcome. I wanted the money… and I wanted God to agree with
me. But that wasn’t His will.
When my eyes are truly on God, I become more concerned with His
will than my own. And that applies to every area of life—financial,
emotional, physical, relational, and spiritual.
Am I focused on those things… or on Him? One of my favorite thoughts from Oswald Chambers fits perfectly here:
“Am I looking for the blessings of God, or am I looking
for God who has the blessings?”
As I searched the Scriptures, I found this theme confirmed
again and again:
- “I have faith in God
that it will happen just as He told me.” (Acts 27:25)
- “This righteousness from God
comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who
believe.” (Romans 3:22)
- “…I live by faith
in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians
2:20)
- “…You are all sons of God
through faith in Christ Jesus…” (Galatians
3:26)
- “Through him you believe
in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your
faith and hope are in God.” (1 Peter 1:21)
Over and over—it points back to the same truth:
Faith is not about what I can do. It’s not even about how
strongly I believe. It’s about Who my faith is in.
I haven’t fully figured this out yet—and maybe I’m still on
the caboose of this revelation—but I do feel like I’m getting closer to that
final frontier than I was before.
So, the question remains:
What is my faith in?
Father,
Thank You for showing me where I’ve misplaced my faith. Help me to grow in my
relationship with You,
to become one with You as Jesus is one with You. Align my heart with Yours so
that I desire Your will above my own. Teach me to trust You more—day by day. Amen.
Selah: Reflection and Pause
Take a moment to quietly reflect:
Where is my faith truly placed?
Am I trusting in my ability to make things happen, in the
outcome I’m hoping for,
or am I fully trusting in God—His character, His goodness, and His will?
What “mountains” or situations in my life have I been
focusing on more than Him?
What might it look like, today, to shift my focus off of
those things and place it fully on God?
Reflection Question:
Is my faith in what I want God to do… or in who God is?