Praying in the Waiting

Praying in the Waiting

16/12/2021 3:50:31 PM | David Moyes

David Moyes shares what he’s learning about mustard seed faith.

The story about Jesus healing the boy with the evil spirit teaches us the importance of faith and prayer.

In Mark and Matthew’s version of this story, Christ’s disciples asked why they couldn’t heal the boy when they tried earlier. In Mark’s account, Jesus told them of the importance of prayer (Mark 9:29). In Matthew’s version, Jesus responded to the disciples’ question this way: “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, 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” (Matthew 17:19-20).

I believe in the impacting combination of faith, prayer and the Holy Spirit. I’ve seen answers in my life and in other people’s lives. However, I’m praying for some big issues at the moment and, to my eyes, things don’t seem to be happening.

I say to my eyes for a reason. I always thought that when Jesus said that if I had faith as small as a mustard seed, all I need is some faith – however small that may be. That is probably right, but here’s another thought as to what Jesus might be saying.

A seed knows how to wait. To my eyes a seed looks lifeless. But most seeds wait for at least a year before they start to grow; a cherry seed can wait for a hundred years with no problem.

What exactly each seed is waiting for is known only to that seed. Some unique trigger combination of temperature, moisture, light and other things is required to convince a seed to jump off the deep end and take its chance to germinate.

A seed is alive while it waits. Every acorn on the ground is just as alive as the 300 oak tree that towers over it.

Here’s the thing that I’m learning about having faith like a mustard seed. My faith in God, even if its small, is still alive. The Holy Spirit is still moving. Even when I go through those really challenging times where God seems silent, even the smallest amount of faith is still alive. 

But here’s the other thing that I am learning about having faith like a mustard seed. I may have to wait until my faith germinates into something bigger than I have ever imagined. Sure, my prayers combined with the Holy Spirit may have given life to a seed, but it may mean I have to wait until God’s time is right. 

If you study the great revivals in Wales, America, Korea, Papua New Guinea – they didn’t just happen with thousands coming to Christ, crime rates reducing, and so on. They all started with two or three people who prayed faithfully for 30, 40 or 50 years. They prayed and prayed. 

Did the seed for revival die? No. It was very much alive. They couldn’t see it, so they waited and waited on God in faith and when the time was right, the alive seed germinated, and the power of God transformed lives after lives. 

So my encouragement to you? However small your faith may seem... keep praying.

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