Live Juicy – A 10 Week Study of the Fruit of the Spirit – Week Eight – Faithfulness

He replied, “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 17:21

Do you believe in God? Do you base your faith on what God does or who He is? I have been meditating on this difference, and God has been challenging me to see and live the difference this week. I have been praying about a particular situation and expecting some great revelation from God on which direction to take. I expected my feelings to go along with what God was saying. They did not. I have to move forward in a direction that does not feel comfortable.

But God, in His gracious way, has shown me the beauty of faith based upon who He is, not on what He does for me. Wrestling with my faith produced the reassurance of knowing God is always walking with me. Even when I don’t feel His presence. Even when I don’t see a change. Even when my heart is heavy and tired and wants to quit. I know I can walk the path He has laid out in front of me because my faith knows God is always (Hebrews 13:8) loving, good, and faithful.

Today we are going to look at the fruit of faithfulness. We will study a man God called faithful all the days of his life. And then we will talk a little bit about why faith the size of a mustard seed is an immense faith.

Enoch

What is the first thing you think about doing when you wake up every morning? For me, it is coffee. I can almost smell the non-existent aroma of the cup I am about to savor.

In Genesis 5, we meet a man named Enoch, who pleased God for 365 years. God created us to please Himself. What if I started every morning with a prayer asking for the grace to be able to please God in my day? Perhaps He would not even mind if I did this over my first cup of coffee.

Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God, then he was no more, because God took him away. Genesis 5:23

We do not know a lot about Enoch, yet the parts we do read in the Bible are significant to note in regard to the role of faith in our life. The most surprising thing we learn about Enoch is that he did not die. But the most important thing we know about Enoch is how God identifies him as one who walked all the days of his life faithfully.

Enoch walked faithfully with God, and that is what He calls us to do. Why does it take faith to walk with God? 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we live by faith, not by sight.” We are called to be like Enoch, and live by faith, not by sight.

Is your faith based on what God does or who God is?

In Beth Moore’s book, Living Beyond Yourself, she calls faith based upon what God does, “Your ticket to ride a roller coaster that ascends the hill during times when God’s activity is obvious and then barrels down the hill the moment God seems inactive.” This is what I have experienced in the past few weeks.

I was sulking because I did not feel God’s direction, I could not see God’s action, and I did not hear the answer I expected. But then God brought to memory the fact that I know God’s path is unchanged, His works are ongoing (even when I don’t see immediate results), and His Word remains loud and clear. By faith, I can continue to walk the path God laid out in front of me.

By faith, I can recall Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” I am thankful for a God who has given me the example of Enoch to encourage me. When I stopped looking for God’s works and instead searched for His heart, I was free to focus on waking faithfully with Him for this next season.

So how much faith should I have?

Have you ever wondered if your faith is big enough? Perhaps, like me, you have faced a situation that felt like it would require more faith than you had? So, how much faith is enough faith?

He replied, “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 17:21

The mustard seed is known as one of the smallest of all seeds; it is about one to two millimeters in size. Yet the plant which grows from it can tower above a two-story building.

The mustard plant is hearty, meaning it can survive a wide range of circumstances: heat or cold, dry or moist, a lot of sun, or little sun. This is what I need for my faith too. For it to survive in both good and bad circumstances, in times of plenty and in times of lack.

The fruit of faithfulness is a growing character. We can start with something as small as a mustard seed and be confident in the work of the Holy Spirit, to nurture it and grow it into a faith strong enough to move a mountain.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the example of Enoch to encourage me in my faithfulness. I now can see the mustard seed of faith in my heart and how you have grown it into a strong faith that survives all the circumstances of my life. Forgive me for my unbelief and help me to walk faithfully with you all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.