One of my kids, favorite stories was “The Little Engine that Could!” It is hard to forget the little blue engine saying, “I think I can – I think I can – I think I can – I think I can.” It is the story of a little engine struggling to carry toys and treats over the mountain. Some might consider this an illustration of their walk by faith in Jesus. The challenge in the Bible presents a different perspective. A challenge to trust God.
I have come across many well-meaning followers that see all of life’s issues and personal struggles resulting from a lack of trust in Jesus. All you need is faith! And if you do not see the result you desired, it was because you lacked faith. They will even quote Jesus challenging His disciples; “And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, ….” (Luke 17:6). Yes, Faith is an essential component of being a follower of Jesus. It takes faith in Christ to be a genuine follower by accepting what He has done for us on the cross. It also takes faith in Christ to walk with Him. The issue is not faith in yourself, but where you are placing your faith.
Jesus’ attempt to minister in His home town of Nazareth reminds me of how unbelief hinders our effectiveness for Jesus. Jesus’ assessment of the community’s reaction was, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” (Mark 6:4). What a heart-breaking assessment. Those that should have been His biggest supporters were blinded by the humanity of Jesus, the son of God. It was their lack of belief that strangled His ministry among the people. Mark shares, “And he marveled because of their unbelief.” (Mark 6:6a). So what was the barrier to Jesus’ ministry in Nazareth? The context clearly points out that it was their unwillingness to accept Jesus as the son of God. Their preconceived ideas of Jesus kept them from coming to Jesus for help. Faith is our surrender, accepting the working out of His will in our lives! Jesus’ statement about the faith of “a mustard seed” is a message of the importance of our surrender to God.
Surrender is essential for a relationship with Christ. It is also the necessity for a growing relationship with God. The foundation of our faith is embracing God’s will in our lives. The Bible reminds us that “our faith” does not trump God’s will, but instead gives us confidence to trust Him! Our surrender is to trust God for the outcome that He deems best.
Getting back to having the faith of a mustard seed. When evaluating God’s working in my life there are at least two components I see at work (although there are times that God acts outside anything I’m doing.) The first is my active investment in my spiritual development. More specifically, I am speaking about my devotional life, practicing the Spiritual Disciplines of the faith, and actively working to integrate them into my life daily. This definitely includes beseeching God through prayer. The second, is actively engaging in ministry with a clean heart. I was recently struck by Proverbs 16:3. “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Encouragement to seek God’s help then taking the firsts steps trust God to lead, direct and even redirect!
Let’s develop the importance of stepping out in faith. I am reminded of times that my failure to act became a barrier of unbelief. We desire God to work but often times, through a lack of faith, we fail to put ourselves in a place where God can work. This could be a broken relationship. It could be a spiritual desire. It could be a ministry burden or a financial situation. If we do not take the initiative to Biblically restore the relationship, invest in my spiritual growth, step out in faith to do ministry or work to get my financial house in order I can be a barrier in what God desires to do. It is amazing what happens when we begin to take the initiative!
One practical suggestion would be to invite someone to attend church with you this Easter Sunday!
-Pastor Joe Parkinson