A short while ago, a person who is very dear to me said that she sometimes questions the adequacy of her faith. Amidst all the busyness of life, all the many struggles and issues that she and we all have to face, her faith sometimes gets lost in the shuffle and seems inadequate.

Many times over the years, I have asked God to increase or strengthen my faith. Perhaps you have, too.

Jesus Himself knew that "stuff happens". In Luke 17:1a, Jesus said to His disciples, "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come." (NIV) Then, the disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith in the face of their challenges, and He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you." (Luke 17:6 NIV)

Mustard seeds are tiny — just a millimetre or two, depending on the variety. Yet, Jesus tells us that even that tiny amount of faith is enough to do great — even astounding — things. I wonder if, rather than hoping for greater or stronger faith, Jesus is challenging us to live out the faith that we already have.

Romans 1:17 – For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." (NIV)

The English word "faith" is thought to be derived from the Latin word "fides", which means "trust". In that word, I believe, is the advice that Jesus and the apostle are giving us today: no matter what we are dealing with in life, we can trust Jesus when He tells us that our faith — no matter how small — is sufficient. It is enough to see us through.

Prayer: Loving God, thank You so much for the gift of faith. Sometimes, our faith feels strong and mighty, and sometimes, it feels weak and inadequate. But however it feels to us, we are blessed by Your assurance that no matter what, our faith is sufficient. Help us to embrace that assurance as we face the challenges in our lives. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Scott Williams <svw59@outlook.com>
Madoc, Ontario, Canada
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