Faith to Move Mountains

He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a 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)

That verse is one of those statements that sounds good, but upon deeper (but not the deepest) reflection seems to be only that. A pretty statement.

There are lots of statements like that – prettily designed phrases that everyone posts on Facebook because they sound profound, but really don’t reflect truth. I wish I could think of some examples – but I shove those pretty (and useless) phrases out of my head once I reject them.

Faith to move mountains. Pashaw! Mountains are very big; I am very small. I have faith, but I’ve seen lots of mountains that never move. Addiction. Cancer. Hatred. Flood waters. Big mountains that don’t seem to move; the best and most wonderful movement of God in that can sometimes be the ability to endure them and move on. Don’t misunderstand me – I do believe that God can move mountains; I’m just not sure the mountain moving is always a reflection of the faith of the person standing next to (or under) the mountain.

But this morning I read the following in Rachel Held Evans’ book, Searching for Sunday: “After all, with enough faith, a person can move a mountain…even a mountain of her own making.”

I’ve never thought of it like that. I’ve never placed that verse next to the truth that we place obstructions between ourselves and God. Those are real mountains, and I do believe with faith, that we can move them.

What mountain stands between you and God? What is it that you – working with God – can move? Sometimes the cement that holds the mountain in the way is of our own doing. Sometimes, allowing God to move that mountain requires that we let go of it. What do you need God’s help in releasing? Don’t give up on the idea of moving the mountain – let go of it and give it to God to lift away.

Faith isn’t measured by the mountains that we can move. Faith is infinite when we realize that it comes from God. If it is a grace that comes from God, then we can open ourselves up, let go of the mountains we create and cling to, and allow God to clear the way. Sometimes the biggest mountain is ourselves, and with enough God, we can allow ourselves to change.