Moving Mountains

So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. (Matthew 17:20 NKJV)

Faith is a strange thing.  Individually it is so inconsistant within us.  Sometimes our faith is so strong, we are sure it can never be shaken.  Our hands are touching His garment.  We see His movement all around us.  Our spiritual senses are so strong we have no doubt that God is here... working, moving, acting, speaking.

But other times, we have trouble even remembering when our faith was strong.  We feel alone.  We even wonder if there is any truth to this "God thing."  Our prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling.  The world seems to be cold and we see evil winning.  Where is God?

I guess most of the time, most of us hang in the middle of the two extremes.  We have our moments on both ends of the spectrum, but for the most part, we have a general sense of God's presence and just hold on to trusting that He is there even when we don't feel it.

The thing is, each of us are at different places along that spectrum at any given time.  This is why community is so terribly important.  We need our brothers and sisters to have faith when our own faith fails.  And they need us for the same reason.  It is what keeps faith alive.

Have you ever recited the Creed at church with the rest of the congregation and thought..."hmmm... not really sure I believe that part."  Well, someone else in that congregation DOES believe it... and you are believing for someone else the parts they aren't completely sure of.

It is our faith as a community that moves the mountains and can handle whatever God gives or doesn't give.  It's our trust in God's goodness as a community that makes us know that whatever happens, it is all going to be okay.  Our own faith just cannot get us through the death of a beloved child.  But the faith of a community can.  Our own faith cannot see beyond the divorce or the layoff or the cancer diagnosis.  But the faith of our community can.  It is not the mustard seed of MY faith that moves that mountain... it is the mustard seed of OUR faith.

Without a community of faith, we risk losing our own faith with ever twist of life... with every breeze of doubt that crosses our heart.

Father,
Thank you for a community that holds my faith when I can't and for opportunities to hold up that faith for my brothers and sisters when they struggle.  Amen.