Fear Faith, Part a: Rivers of Faith, Part 11
"Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, 'Why couldn't we drive
it out?'" (Matt 17:19 NIV)
Jesus' disciples were baffled. They had been unable to drive a demon out of a
youngster. The "why" question was haunting them, just as it often haunts us!
The answer is simple but hard to apply: "Because you have so little faith. I
tell you the truth, 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." (Matt 17:20 NIV)
What is faith if you can't conquer your worst fears? What is faith if you are
left defeated and discouraged?
One of the things I feared the most was crossing suspension bridges. I was so
afraid of these wobbly things that I refused to cross them. I would take a few
steps, wave at my eager family, who were generally already on the other side,
and then quickly return to safer ground. The way they wiggle from side to side
literally terrified me!
Last year I faced three suspension bridges in the same Canyon: Canyon Ste-Anne,
in the lovely province of Quebec, Canada. My wobbly legs were shaking initially,
but the only way to visit this beautiful canyon was to cross the bridges! I
decided to put my faith in Jesus, the One who promised, "In me you may have
peace." (John 16:33 NIV). I was going to claim that inner peace no matter what!
Assisted by my wife and the presence of my Lord, I hesitatingly took the first
step. Thanks to the eager teenagers ahead of me, the bridge was shaking
uncontrollably. But I claimed victory in Jesus and took the second step. The
bridge swayed wildly from the left to the right and back again, but by keeping
my goal - the other side of this waltzing bridge - in sight, I took another
step. I desperately wanted to slow down, to stop. Because I only see from one
eye, I only see in two-dimensions and I felt I needed more time to process the
steps I was taking! But I didn't stop, and in the end, I made it to the other
side.
I would love to say it was by my own might, but it wasn't. Believe me, I had
never done anything like this before. If God hadn't sustained me, I wouldn't
have made it. Faith really works!
The next suspension bridge was child's play. Hey, I can do all things through
the One who sustains me! The more the bridge wiggled, the better! It was, in
fact, quite fun! Especially when I stopped in the middle to take pictures. Wow!
The fun I've been missing all of these years! Where's the next suspension
bridge? I can't wait to go out on it and start jumping up and down!
I conquered my fear of suspension bridges that day in the province of Quebec.
God is the One who gave me the victory!
Why though do we so often face defeat?
"Because you have so little faith." (Matt 17:20 NIV)
It was the first time I was able to cross a suspension bridge, my worst fear in
life, but the victory had always been mine for the taking, if I had only had
enough faith!
What can faith do?
"I tell you the truth, 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." (Matt 17:20 NIV)
What is the secret of the mustard seed?
It's one of the smallest seeds on this earth. Once buried in the ground however,
it does not remain tiny. It grows and grows and grows to a tall bush, at times
as high as 15 feet! And it grows wildly, moving rocks and stones out of its way
in order to reach its full potential. Nothing can hinder its growth.
This kind of faith will move mountains!
We face many mountains during our existence, impasses that seem impossible to
move: illnesses, break-ups of relationships, alienations, rejections,
criticisms, put downs, job losses…
Faith will tell us it will be OK.
Will we believe in it? It all depends on Who we decide to trust!
"What is impossible with men is possible with God." (Luke 18:27 NIV)
Do we believe this?
Did you know that Jesus' disciples had faith issues as well? This is one of the
reasons why they could not heal that demon-possessed youngster. Do you know when
they finally believed? Right before Jesus was arrested! Jesus declared "You
believe at last!" (John 16:31 NIV)
Why?
After all that time with Jesus, they finally concluded that He "came from God."
(John 16:30 NIV)
And then they abandoned Him when He was arrested!
"If you have faith" (Matt 17:20 NIV)
Too many of us misunderstand this statement. We take it as an assurance of
whatever it is we are asking for. We want to be healed, so we decide to believe
in healing. We want a spouse, so we decide to believe we will find a spouse.
But this is not the message Jesus is conveying. Our faith should not be limited
to believing we will receive what we ask for. Our faith should be much bigger!
We need to believe in Jesus, the Christ and how much He loves us! We need to be
able to know beyond doubt that God will do what is best for us, even if it may
not be specifically what we are asking for! We need to be able to answer as the
disciples did: "'You came from God.'" (John 16:30). This is key to faith,
friends! To understand that Jesus came from God! And to this answer Jesus
replied: "You believe at last!" (John 16:31)
You, too, can conquer your fears. Not by your own might, but by faith in the One
who can make it possible. By faith in the love He has for us, by faith in the
fact that He will always do what is best for us, even if this may not be what we
are specifically asking for! Only then will our mountains be moved! Only then
will we see God in His full splendour.
"If you have faith" (Matt 17:20 NIV)
This suspension bridge sure is wobbly! Come on out and join me! It'll be fun!
Rob Chaffart