It Starts Small

I have been exploring this idea of mountains. I love the mountains here in Colorado. While I am on my missions trip this next year, I am going to miss them! Jesus spoke and said that just a small faith will move mountains.

²⁰ “Because of your little faith,” he told them. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of  a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

I think there are seven issues, obsticals, mountains to building a deep rooted faith. AS I have reflected oevr these last 20 years, i have been able, with God’s Word point out the things that blocked my path.

Self-sufficiency

⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. John 15:5

Jesus pretty much points it out that without Him, we can do nothing. It does not matter how much self effort you put into life, if you are not surrendered to Him, you will accomplish nothing. We can not trust in our own abilities and strength to accomplish something and trust in God’s ability at the same time. It is either one or the other. They are like oil and water and will never mix. The more we try to increase our own self effort, the more God decreases. Rely on the Spirit’s strength instead of your own and acknowledge your dependencies on God in all things.

Doubt

 ⁶ But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. James 1:6

We ask a really odd question: Why Lord is this happening? When the surf rages and the wind howls we actually ask God why? Doubt is an unbelief. There is something in your walk that you do not believe about the character of God. There is something you do not believe He is able to do. DOubt is the enemy of a confident faith. Doubt and faith can coexist, but the more you lean on one the less the other has room. We need to write the promises of God on our hearts and fully trust upon Him to be faithful. A good way to remember this is what has God done for you in the past. Introspect is our best friend when we find ourselves in a moment of doubt.

Fear

⁴⁰ Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:40

This is one that took me awhile to overcome. Being fearful means that I am not completely trusting God. When I fear something more than God, that means I believe that something else is bigger than God and more powerful than Him. Fear are lies we believe from the devil. He uses fear to attack the character of God, the work of Christ, or our own character. We need to work through fear by coming to the Good Shepherd, Jesus our Savior, and ask for helping in pinpointing what I am trusting more in than God.

Trust in the Physical

⁷ For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

Having a physical sight is not the problem, but trusting only in what we can see is a huge problem and mountain in the way of building a deep rooted faith. The heart of the issue is trusting only in what we can see and touch. What are things you trust in more than God because you can see them and touch them. Think about why it is easier to trust them than God.

Wandering without Purpose

²⁶ For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
James 2:26

Faith standing still is not a faith we can trust in. James tells us we need to exercise our faith. True faith produces works. If we always stand by without putting feet to our faith, then perhaps our faith isn’t as strong as we think or perhaps it is not a true faith. God has a will and purpose for our lives. It is not simply to exist in comfort. To go to work, make money and come home. It is not simply to go to church once a week and then spend six days doing what we want. If we want to a strong physical body we take care of it. The same is with our faith. If we want a strong faith we need to exercise it by feed it and allowing God’s purpose to be worked in us and through us.

Unrepentant Sin

12 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, Hebrews 12:1

The greatest of the hindrances to faith is unrepentant sin. Itis not just enough that we confess our sin, but we must be repentant. This means doing an about face and turning away from our habitual sins. Working in partnership with Christ to overcome habitual sin and deciding that you just are not going to do it. Why? Because ultimately sin is what separates us from our Heavenly Father. It is not until we recognize the destruction of sin that we can truly turn away from it. It destroys us from the inside out. It infests our hearts and spreads to those around us. It destroys our marriages. It destroys our families. It destroys our relationships in our jobs, community and the body of Christ.

We struggle with sin because we have not truly accepted the consequences and taken responsibility for the destruction and damage it is causing. Sin’s consequences are not personal. It is an infection that spreads. Until we truly repent, we will continue to struggle with sin and its devastation.

Perhaps the mountain in front of you is one of these obstacles. Mountains are amazing opportunities to pause a moment and reflect upon ourselves. I believe mountains are God showing our pride, unbelief, fear, or sin. We need a perspective change to not fear obstacles but see that God is working something amazing. He loves us so much that He is showing us the hindrances in our relationship with Him.

¹ May God be gracious to us and bless us;
may he make his face shine upon us
Psalms 67:1