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Faith Like a Mustard Seed: When Small Trust Meets a Big God
- Marie
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Have you ever felt like your faith was… tiny?
Not absent. Not gone. Just small. Quiet. A little shaky around the edges.
The kind of faith that says, “Lord, I believe… but I’m also kind of scared.”
If so, you’re in very good company. Because when Jesus talked about faith, He didn’t point to something massive and impressive. He pointed to something small.
“If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” — Matthew 17:20
A mustard seed is tiny. Barely noticeable. Easy to lose in the palm of your hand.
And yet Jesus says…That is enough.
Not because the faith is big —but because God is.
Small Faith Is Still Real Faith
Somewhere along the way, many of us picked up the idea that faith has to be bold, fearless, and unwavering to “count.”
But Jesus never said:“If you have perfect faith…”“If you have confident faith…”“If you have Instagram-worthy faith…”
He said: mustard seed faith.
Faith that whispers instead of shouts. Faith that shows up even while trembling. Faith that keeps praying even when the answers feel slow.
This kind of faith doesn’t always look heroic.
Sometimes it looks like:
Getting out of bed when your heart feels heavy
Saying one small prayer when you don’t have the words for more
Choosing kindness when bitterness would be easier
Trusting God one single step at a time
And Jesus says, That’s enough for Me to work with.
What Are the “Mountains,” Really?
When Jesus talks about moving mountains, He’s using powerful imagery to describe what feels impossible to us.
Mountains can look like:
Long seasons of waiting
Fear that keeps whispering worst-case scenarios
Broken relationships
Financial stress
Old wounds that still ache
Prayers that haven’t been answered yet
And sometimes, the biggest mountain isn’t even around us —it’s inside us.
Doubt. Shame. Hopelessness. Feeling like we’re not enough.
Jesus isn’t saying faith is a magic trick to rearrange the landscape of our lives on demand. He’s saying that when we trust God — even a little — nothing is beyond His reach.
Sometimes the mountain moves. Sometimes He walks with us straight through it. But faith always invites God into the situation. And that changes everything.
Faith Is Powerful — Which Means It Must Be Used for Good
Here’s an important part of this conversation that doesn’t always get talked about enough:
Faith is not meant to be used to control, manipulate, or elevate ourselves over others. It is not about proving how spiritual we are. It is not about getting our own way. It is not about bending God to our plans.
True biblical faith is always rooted in love, humility, and trust in God’s will.
Jesus never used His power to impress people. He used it to heal, restore, forgive, and save.
So when we talk about faith that moves mountains, we also need to talk about faith that:
moves hearts toward compassion
moves us toward forgiveness
moves us to serve instead of be served
moves us to love when it’s inconvenient
Faith that is used for good always points back to God’s heart — not our own spotlight.
Faith Grows Best in Relationship, Not Performance
One of the sweetest truths about faith is that it isn’t something we manufacture through willpower.
Faith grows through relationship.
The more we get to know God’s character —His kindness, His patience, His faithfulness —the easier it becomes to trust Him.
Not because life gets easier…but because we know who is walking with us through it.
Faith isn’t about never questioning. It’s about bringing your questions to God instead of away from Him.
It’s about saying:“Lord, I don’t understand this… but I still trust You with it.”
And that kind of honesty? God welcomes it.
Don’t Despise Small Beginnings
There is something holy about starting small. A tiny prayer. A quiet hope. A gentle nudge to try again.
Scripture reminds us not to despise the day of small beginnings, because God often does His biggest work through what seems unimpressive at first. A baby in a manger. A handful of disciples. A mustard seed of faith.
God loves to grow miracles out of tiny places.
So if today all you have is a small amount of trust, offer it to Him. He has always been very good at multiplying what we bring.
Faith Isn’t About Certainty — It’s About Direction
At the end of the day, faith isn’t about having everything figured out. It’s about who you’re turning toward when you don’t.
Faith says:“I don’t know what comes next… but I know who I belong to.”
And that kind of faith — even when it’s small —has the power to reshape lives, restore hope, and yes…move mountains in ways we may not even recognize at first.
Not for our glory. But for His goodness.
A Gentle Encouragement for Today
If you’re feeling discouraged, tired, or unsure right now, let this be your reminder:
You don’t need more faith. You just need to place the faith you already have in the hands of God. Even if it feels tiny. Even if it feels fragile. He can do beautiful things with mustard seeds.
And He is always, always working for good.
XO, Marie
A Prayer for Growing Faith
Heavenly Father, Thank You that You welcome us just as we are — even when our faith feels small. You see the mountains in our lives, the worries in our hearts, and the places where we feel unsure. Help us to trust You with what we’re carrying today, even if all we have is a mustard seed of faith.
Grow our trust in You, Lord — not for our own comfort or control, but so that Your goodness and love may be seen through us. Teach us to use our faith for kindness, for courage, and for compassion. Let our lives point back to Your heart.
When the path feels hard, remind us that You walk with us. When we feel weak, remind us that You are strong. And when we cannot see the way forward, help us to place our small faith in Your very big hands.
We place our hope in You today and always. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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