Mustard Seed Faith

By Shona Baselice

“He 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.”—Matthew 17:20 (NIV) 

Summers are for reading! Well, every season is for reading in our house, but something happens within my heart the moment summer arrives. It beckons me to dive nose first into the pages of a really good book. 

Maybe it’s because the days slow down during summer. Maybe it’s because my grandma took my brother and me on countless trips to our local library on rainy summer days growing up. Whatever the reason, with summertime upon us, I started my search for the perfect book. And tucked away on a dusty shelf in our den, I found the winner—a biography of George Muller.  

What an incredible man of faith! In his lifetime, he built five orphanages, cared for over 10,000 orphans, supported numerous missionaries through an organization he co-founded, pastored the same church for 66 years, worked for 68 years without ever accepting a salary, and from age 70-84 he traveled as an itinerant missionary to 42 countries, teaching in places over 5,000 times . . . and he did ALL of this without ever once sharing a single need to anyone but the Lord. He never asked another soul for food, finances, or furnishings. He prayed about everything and watched the Lord show up time and time again in the most miraculous ways.  

As I read about Muller’s life, I found myself thinking Wow, my faith doesn’t look like this, but Lord I SO want it to. But then the Lord reminds me of verses, like today’s verse, which show me that even the disciples, who walked so closely with Jesus, struggled with faith at times. 

At first, Jesus’ response confused me because He told them they had “little faith” and all they needed was faith the size of a “mustard seed.” But isn’t a mustard seed the tiniest seed ever? It is! But after a quick Google search, I found that it grows to be between 6 to 20 feet tall, and under ideal conditions it can even grow up to 30 ft. WOW that’s big!  

The disciples had little faith, but what they needed was little faith that was growing. I was so encouraged by this because while my faith isn’t the size of a 30 foot tall tree (yet), it isn’t the tiny sprout it once was. It’s growing and according to today’s verse, God can use a growing faith to do impossible things.  

George Muller did impossible things, but not because he was some superhero of a man.  He simply believed God was who He said He was and that He’d do what He said He’d do. The roots of Muller’s faith sunk deep into the soil of God’s love and from that soil grew a mighty tree. 

I pray each day, my faith—and yours—would continuing growing, that its roots would continue to take hold and grow bigger every day, and that it would never stop!

Pause: Faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8). Take a moment today to ask the Lord what the condition of your faith is and if He reveals that it’s a “little faith,” ask Him to increase it. He will be faithful to do so.

Practice: Find someone in Scripture that was known for having great faith and read their story. Here are a few suggestions for you: David, Abraham, Mary, Ruth, and Hannah.

Pray: Dear Lord, thank You for the mustard seed faith You have given me. Thank You that it’s growing and that through You I can do impossible things . . . ALL for Your glory.  May I leave behind a legacy of faith for generations to come, and may Your Name be lifted high forever! Amen.