Jesus sat before His disciples, diligently teaching.
Their concept of faith was one that needed further understanding.
The men had recently failed to cast out a foul spirit from a child who was afflicted
and were taught that greater effort was needed for their faith to be strengthened.
A woman had been healed as she touched His garment,
but it was her faith that made her whole and not His raiment.
The apostles pleaded sincerely, asking Christ to increase their faith -
perhaps to minister to others like the Savior, in humility and grace.
The discussion may have turned to a question that we ourselves may have asked :
“how much faith is needed for a miracle to be granted”?
How much faith is required to be healed of an affliction
or to have a prayer answered soon after an earnest petition?
How much faith is needed to save a loved one from suffering,
or to help a friend who is in despair or otherwise struggling?
The Savior instructed His followers that faith as small as a mustard seed
could move mountains or provide for every need.
On the Sea of Galilee, when the storm tossed their boat in the waves,
the disciples faith was tried by the One who cares and saves.
How much faith did Simon Peter need to walk on water?
Perhaps just enough to overcome distraction, doubt and fear.
Fear seems to extinguish faith like dousing a match in a river.
Fear and faith cannot coexist in the mind of a true believer.
Jesus often chastised His disciples when their faith was wanting –
“O ye of little faith” was His response when their belief was lacking.
So the question remains for every difficulty and problem -
“how much faith is required to bring about a satisfactory outcome”?
On a scale of one to ten, what level of faith is needed?
What is left over when fear and doubt are subtracted?
Can faith be developed drop by drop to be used as a spiritual reservoir,
to be called upon in time of need to deliver relief or a needed miracle?
Can we be close enough to the Spirit to receive the needed revelation -
to exercise the requisite faith for a specific situation?
The will of God cannot be supplanted by any amount of confidence,
but a righteous desire can be turned into a miracle with His approval and assistance.
When we cry out to the Lord for help in making our belief become stronger,
He will aid our efforts to have access to his perfect power.
June 2023
Luke 17: 5-6 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
Mark 9: 23-24 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
Matthew 17: 19-21 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Richard C. Edgley, “Faith -the Choice in Yours”, October 2020
“When the disciples asked Jesus why they could not cast a devil out as they had just witnessed the Savior do, Jesus answered, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove” (Matthew 17: 20). I have never witnessed the removal of an actual mountain. But because of faith, I have seen a mountain of doubt and despair removed and replaced with hope
and optimism. Because of faith, I have personally witnessed a mountain of sin replaced with repentance and forgiveness. And because of faith, I have personally witnessed a mountain of pain replaced with peace, hope, and gratitude. Yes, I have seen mountains removed.”
Alma 32: 27-28 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words. Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.
Russell M. Nelson, “Christ is Risen – Faith in Him Will Move Mountains”, April 2021
“Faith in Jesus Christ is the foundation of all belief and the conduit of divine power. According to the Apostle Paul, “Without faith it is impossible to please [God]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Everything good in life—every potential blessing of eternal significance—begins with faith. Allowing God to prevail in our lives begins with faith that He is willing to guide us. True repentance begins with faith that Jesus Christ has the power to cleanse, heal, and strengthen us. “Deny not the power of God,” the prophet Moroni declared, “for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men.” It is our faith that unlocks the power of God in our lives. …
The Lord does not require perfect faith for us to have access to His perfect power. But He does ask us to believe.
My dear brothers and sisters, my call to you this Easter morning is to start today to increase your faith. Through your faith, Jesus Christ will increase your ability to move the mountains in your life, even though your personal challenges may loom as large as Mount Everest. Your mountains may be loneliness, doubt, illness, or other personal problems. Your mountains will vary, and yet the answer to each of your challenges is to
increase your faith. That takes work. Lazy learners and lax disciples will always struggle to muster even a particle of faith. To do anything well requires effort. Becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ is no exception. Increasing your faith and trust in Him takes effort. May I offer five suggestions to help you develop that faith and trust.
First, study. Become an engaged learner. Immerse yourself in the scriptures to understand better Christ’s mission and ministry. Know the doctrine of Christ so that you understand its power for your life. Internalize the truth that the Atonement of Jesus Christ applies to you. He took upon Himself your misery, your mistakes, your weakness, and your sins. He paid the compensatory price and provided the power for you to move every
mountain you will ever face. You obtain that power with your faith, trust, and willingness to follow Him.”
Kevin W. Pearson, “Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ”, April 2009
“Faith is a spiritual gift from God that comes through the Holy Ghost. It requires a correct understanding and knowledge of Jesus Christ, His divine attributes and perfect character, His teachings, Atonement, Resurrection, and priesthood power. Obedience to these principles develops complete trust in Him and His ordained servants and assurance of His promised blessings.
Desire is a particle of faith that develops within us as we experience divine truth. It is like spiritual photosynthesis. The influence of the Holy Ghost, acting on the Light of Christ within every human being, produces the spiritual equivalent of a chemical reaction—a stirring, a change of heart, or a desire to know. Hope develops as particles of faith become molecules and as simple efforts to live true principles occur.
As patterns of obedience develop, the specific blessings associated with obedience are realized and belief emerges. Desire, hope, and pattern of obedient behavior and attitudes. Personal righteousness is a choice. Faith is a gift from God, and one possessed of it can receive enormous spiritual power.
There is a quality of faith which develops as we focus all of our heart, might, mind, and strength. It is seen and felt in the eyes of a great missionary, a valiant and virtuous young woman, and righteous mothers, fathers, and grandparents. It can be seen in the lives of individuals young and old, in every land and culture, speaking every language, in every circumstance and station in life. It is the “eye of faith” spoken of by the prophet Alma
(see Alma 5:15–26)—the ability to focus and be steadfast, continually holding fast to true principles, nothing wavering, even when the mist of darkness confronting us is exceedingly great. This quality of faith is exceedingly powerful. ….
Faith and fear cannot coexist. One gives way to the other. The simple fact is we all need to constantly build faith and overcome sources of destructive disbelief. The Savior’s teaching comparing faith to a grain of mustard seed recognizes this reality (see Matthew 13:31–32). Consider it this way: our net usable faith is what we have left to exercise after we subtract our sources of doubt and disbelief. You might ask yourself this question: “Is my own net faith positive or negative?” If your faith exceeds your doubt and disbelief, the answer is likely positive. If you allow doubt and disbelief to control you, the answer might be negative.”
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