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The apostles said to the Lord, “Give us more faith!” The Lord said, ‘If your faith were the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Dig yourself up and plant yourself in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” Luke 17:6 NCV
Is it just me, or are ya’ll a little tired of folks telling you, as you stumble along life’s trials, that you just don’t have enough faith?
If you’ve not heard that from a well-intentioned brother or sister, I’ll bet you can remember times when loved ones were very ill, not improving, it was said they “just didn’t have enough faith.” Maybe there was an occasion when your family experienced crisis and someone attempted to “cheer you up” by admonishing “You just don’t have enough faith!” You’ve got to have more faith.”
It’s become a cliché! I’m aware I may be a little hypersensitive to the phrase…as you know my tolerance toward clichés is limited, at best. But it’s just not helpful! Telling someone they “don’t have enough faith” doesn’t help them acquire more faith!
I believe the problem with this (shudder) cliché is that it implies that the person saying it has more faith…is on a higher standard of belief. Naturally, this offends us. Yet, Jesus said, oh ye of little faith, on several occasions to his disciples. It was a rebuke leveled at the disciples of Christ, when seeming to doubt his divinity.
Hmmmm. I wonder how would my faith stand up to walking on water if told to step out of the boat in the middle of the ocean?
On the other hand, Jesus said about the Centurion and the Samaritan woman, that they both had “great” faith.
James 1 v 2-4 say, 'Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.'
According to this verse, faith is clearly something that has to be developed in us through trials and tribulations. James says that this testing of our faith will lead to maturity.
Perhaps your brother or sister in Christ has been through tests, trials, and difficulties that you have yet to face. Through these times they have grown to see the Father’s faithfulness. Some of us have yet to walk those hard paths; yet none of us lack faith.
When our faith is being tested, we are maturing. That is the time to really live in His word and rejoice in the difficulties that come our way, knowing that our Heavenly Father has a particular reason for allowing this “refining.”
God doesn’t ask for the size and shape of our faith, just that we have faith! It’s not about the measure of faith you have, it’s how you cling to your faith in the LORD when tested. Where do you place your faith when struggling?
So, the next time someone tells you “You’ve got to have faith!” smile and reply, “I do, brother! I do!” Then, ask God how your suffering can bring you closer to Him, and thank Him that He is a good God and will provide shelter for you no matter what you’re going through. That’s faith enough for Him!
