Mark 11: 23-24 “Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you.  So I tell you whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

This passage is such a hard one for me.  Jesus was hungry and because a fig tree had no fruit growing on it, he causes it to wither away.  The disciples are astounded and ask him how this happened.  These verses are his response.  My first thought whenever I read this is “that would never really happen” so I already do not have the belief without doubt.  Deeper thoughts are about the will of God.  Why would I ask a mountain to move anyway?  Is praying for something only if it is God’s will a cop out?  Does that allow for me to justify something not happening because it was not the will of God?  If I pray for something and it does not pass as I see it does that mean I was not faithful or did God do what I ask and I cannot see it because it manifested in a different way than I perceived it would?  I definitely feel like one of the disciples looking at these words and lacking the understanding to really grasp the message.  I know this without doubt,  I take everything to the Lord in prayer and I trust Him to do what is right.  That will do for me as my faith continues to grow.

Lord,

In reality I have seen you move mountains, I have seen you bring healing and wholeness and I have seen you redeem the worst of circumstances.  What more do I need?  Help me believe and see rather that see and believe.  Amen