Nina Smit

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I assure you that you can say to this mountain, ‘May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,’ and your command will be obeyed. All that is required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart.”

~ Mark 11:22-23

Jesus often reprimanded His disciples because their faith in God was not strong enough. He told them that faith in God worked wonders. It could even make mountains topple into the sea, but then that faith had to be without doubts of any kind. Christians often struggle with their faith. It’s easy to believe when all goes well, but even the most faithful believer sometimes discovers that the faith they thought was firm as a rock, can also waver.

There are two kinds of faith: natural faith and faith in God. Natural faith speaks for itself: we all know our hand will burn if we hold it over an open flame; that we will be dashed to pieces if we jump from a tall building; that water always runs downward, not upward. Natural faith is about facts that we see confirmed regularly. By contrast, faith in God is faith in things we can’t see. During a course that Arnold Mol presented at our congregation, he said, “Faith is a conviction that determines our behavior.” Even if you can’t confirm your faith in God with visible proof, it is an inner conviction that comes from God Himself, a kind of faith that changes your life.

Lord Jesus, I pray that You will give me faith in God, also if there is no visible proof of my faith. Amen