“And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.’” Luke 17:6

Considering that we often find it difficult to measure up to the example of other Christians we know, think how hard it must have been for Jesus’ disciples! In Luke 17:6, they had just heard Jesus say that if someone sins against them and repents seven times in one day they must forgive him. It sounded impossible. No one could be that patient with another person.

So the disciples figured the only way they could do that is if Jesus supernaturally increased their faith (v. 5). In verse 6, however, we see that Jesus didn’t do that. Instead, He told them they didn’t need more faith. In fact, even the smallest amount of faith, no more easily seen than the tiniest seed, can accomplish great miracles. After all this time of walking with Jesus, the disciples still didn’t get it. They didn’t understand that when Jesus had sent them out to cast out demons and heal the sick, it was their faith in Him, not some superhuman ability He gave them, that allowed them to accomplish those things (Luke 9:6). They had enough faith. They just needed to exercise it.

As in the account of Elijah praying for drought and then again for rain, Jesus’ answer wasn’t about what to pray for as much as it was about how to pray. If you’re headed into the backyard to see if you can pray a tree up out of the ground or a sudden downpour from an otherwise cloudless sky, you’re missing the point. Instead, consider the massive potential of your relationship with Christ through prayer. There are unimaginable ways God wants to demonstrate His miraculous power in your life and in the world around you. You don’t need more faith. You need to exercise your faith by praying in a way that shows you trust Him to do the things only He can do.

• What is something God is calling you to do that seems impossible? Finish the following sentence: I need to exercise my faith by praying for God to ____________.

• Pray: Thank God that His ability to answer you doesn’t depend on how much faith you have in Him, only that you do have faith in Him. Ask Him to help you exercise your faith by praying more boldly and expectantly in accordance with His will.