I was about to pray with someone recently about an important issue in their life. They said something that didn't sit well with me. After their request they assured me if we would just have enough faith that our prayer would be answered the way they wanted.Once upon a time that statement wouldn't have bothered me. I actually would have agreed with it. After all doesn't Jesus tell us in Matthew 17:20 that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains?
So, why don't I see it the way my friend does anymore? Well, I think the way Christian culture views faith in God is selfish. As a matter of fact it's not even really faith in God.
Let's take a closer look at this "if we just have enough faith" idea. First, Jesus said if we have faith the size of a mustard seed we can move mountains. Think about that. Jesus intentionally used something to represent a small amount of faith, and he said even that tiny bit of faith could do huge things. So, why do we always say things like "if we will just have enough faith".
We have made God into our puppet. The strings that control our 'God puppet' are comprised of our faith. If our faith is strong enough the strings are too. So we can pull them and God has no choice but to do what we want and our prayers are answered. If on the other hand our faith is not strong enough our strings become brittle. When we pull them they break and God doesn't move like we want him to move. Our prayers don't get answered.
How many times have you prayed for something that didn't happen? Well, if all you needed was faith the size of a mustard seed then your faith must have been really small indeed. Don't worry I have been there plenty of times myself.
The worst part of viewing faith this way is that it is actually not faith at all. When we attempt to manipulate God into doing what we want 'by faith' all we have done is shown that we believe in our selves more than him because we are trying to tell him what to do. The faith we show with that kind of belief is not in God, but in our own understanding.
Look at the way Jesus prayed. In the Lord's prayer he said "your will be done". Before going to the cross he made it clear that he wanted there to be a way to get out of what was coming. Even though that is what he wanted he quickly added "not my will, but yours". In other words Jesus prayers were never about manipulating God into doing what he wanted him to do. They were about surrender to God. They were about understanding that God's will was more important. He had faith in God. His faith was so strong that he believed he should pray for God's will to be done even if it didn't agree with his desires.
That is faith. It's believing that even when things don't go our way that God is still in it. It's about putting our personal desires secondary. It's about wanting God's will more than our own. It's about believing his will is the best course even when we don't understand or even when things sometimes hurt. It's about swallowing our pride when things don't seem fair because we trust God. It's about realizing that God is not a puppet manipulated by our awesome faith.
If we can learn to have that kind of faith we might find that we have moved mountains. We might even find that the first mountains that move are our own pride and selfishness.
Just for fun here's Matthew 17:20 retranslated to fit the way it is believed by much of Christian culture today.
"You didn't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I assure you, even if you had faith as small as a mustard seed you could manipulate God into doing anything you want him to do because God is merely your puppet when you have enough faith." - Matthew 17:20
- The Lead Heretic
October 28, 2009 9:47 AM
Most could quote the Lord's Prayer from memory, but how many actually study it. Back when I was a Christian I had a prayer that I prayed daily and meditated upon along with scripture.
"Addressed daily to Jesus:
I seek... Your will, Lord, Your humility, Your love for others, Your exposure of my sin, Your humility and your will, I can't pray these enough, Humility in all things, Everything I am capable of is only through you, Lord, Patience, Lord, while I seek your will, Your refining fire, Lord, Patience, Lord, Your will, Humility, Your walk, Lord, Humility in my love for others, Humility in my compassion and love for women, Humility, Humility, Humility in my anticipation of what you have in store for me, Lord, Humility in the work you give me, To give glory to you in all I do!! Humility in prayer, and my abilities, The ability to pray instead of tear down.
Lord, help me to continue to pray, to seek awareness of your presence in humility and by your power, even, and especially when I feel well and happy, for all my well being and feelings regarding well being are a result of you.
Amen."
October 28, 2009 10:51 AM
I like that prayer Mike. I believe it brings proper perspective. Checked out your blog. Good stuff there.
October 28, 2009 10:55 AM
Thanks! The prayer was written to help me keep hings in perspective. I enjoy your blog as well, though I think this is the first time I commented.
October 30, 2009 8:08 AM
Good stuff! Faith in faith is never a good thing.
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