Can Faith Really Move Mountains?

Jesus said that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. But what did He mean?

In this episode of FaithFuel, Bob Shaw talks about one of the most misunderstood teachings in the Bible. Does mountain-moving faith mean Christians can accomplish anything if they believe hard enough? Or was Jesus teaching something deeper?

Using Matthew 17:20, 2 Corinthians 5:7, and Jesus' teaching on childlike faith, this devotional encourages believers who feel like their faith is small, weak, or imperfect.

If you've ever wondered whether your faith is enough, this episode offers biblical encouragement and a practical understanding of what it means to trust God.

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Transcript

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If faith can move mountains, why aren't there mountains moving all over the place? I'm Bob Shaw, and this is Faith Fuel. Matthew 17, verse 20. 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. That's quite a statement. So naturally, our first question to that is, was Jesus speaking literally? Well, God can certainly move a mountain if he wants to. Nothing is impossible for him. But I've never met anyone who's relocated Mount Baldi. And when you look at the way mountains are used throughout Scripture, they're often pictures of obstacles, challenges, and things that seem impossible from a human perspective. So while Jesus certainly had the power to move a literal mountain, I think his point was bigger than geology. What catches my attention is the mustard seed. Jesus didn't say mountain sized faith. He said mustard seed faith. I think that's encouraging because there have been times when my faith felt pretty dang small. I've trusted God and still had questions. I've prayed and still wondered how things were going to work out. I've believed he was in control while also wishing he'd show me what he was doing. And maybe you've been there too. One reason I love the stories in the Bible is that so many of the people God used didn't have everything figured out. Abraham had no idea where he was going. Peter didn't know what would happen when he stepped out of the boat. Gideon didn't know how the battle was going to end. They trusted God and took the next step anyway. That's what 2 Corinthians 5 7 means when it says we walk by faith, not by sight. Think about a little child holding a parent's hand. They're not worried about the route or studying the map. They trust the person leading them. That's the kind of faith Jesus was talking about. So if your faith feels small today, don't be discouraged. Again, Jesus didn't say you needed mountain-sized faith. He said mustard seed faith. The focus of faith isn't faith itself, it's the God we're placing our faith in. Lord, thank you that you don't require perfect faith from us. Help us trust you even when we don't have all the answers and can't see how things will work out. Give us the courage to take the next step of faith, knowing that you are faithful and worthy of our trust. And remind us that our confidence is not in ourselves, but in you. In Jesus' name, Amen. If your faith has felt a little small lately, I hope today's devotional encouraged you. Keep trusting God with the next step, even when you can't see the whole path ahead. And if Faith Fuel has been a blessing to you, I'd love for you to follow the podcast and share it with someone else. I'm Bob Shaw. Peace and joy.