Faith Looks Unusual at Times

I have wondered sometimes what does it look like to have a mustard seed of faith? It says in the Bible that it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6). If Sarah, Abraham’s wife, laughed when God told her she would have a child and she was noted as a women of incredible faith in the Bible, I realize my definition of faith is far different than God’s. In Hebrews 11:11, it says:

Sarah’s faith embraced the miracle power to conceive even though she was barren and she was past the age of childbearing, for the authority of her faith rested in the One who made the promise, and she tapped into her faithfulness.

My question is, what does a mustard seed look like from God’s perspective?

The funny thing is that when you pray for God to increase your gift of faith, it is a dangerous prayer, yet a valuable prayer! I don’t know if Sarah prayed that prayer and yet look how long she waited for a child, over 90 years!! I have prayed that prayer! And if I am honest, I know in my life, some of the situations that built my faith the most, I wasn’t thanking God for the circumstances while I was in the midst of the struggle! It was only in hindsight that I could see the strengthening of my character, faith and many other valuable life lessons.

On the other hand, sometimes we learn about faith in the most unusual circumstances that can be quite surprising! I was at the hospital in the mentally ill ward. I don’t like the term ‘mentally ill’, so let’s call it a place where people don’t know their identity yet!! Anyway, I met this lady who introduced herself and said she was a white sangoma! A sangoma is a term in South Africa used to describe a witchdoctor. I had visited with her a prayed with her several times in the hospital, yet one day was quite memorable. I asked her if she had pain, she said yes, in her sinuses and lungs. She also mentioned that something was the matter with her heart. I asked her if I could pray from her, she agreed. She said you can pray, but don’t touch the cigarettes (I could smell the smoke ruminating from her clothes)! I told her that if I prayed for her cigarettes, she would encounter a love from Jesus that would be far better than smoking cigarettes. She said, “You can pray for anything else, but not the cigarettes, they have been my joy since I was three years old”.

We honored her request, praying a blessing over her and for her sinuses and heart to be healed, she said her sinuses were feeling better! However, what struck me is this women’s faith, before I even mentioned smoking, she knew that she could be healed of her cigarette addiction! Wow, this is incredible faith and in fact greater than my faith in my early years as a believer! To be honest, I am not sure she knew Jesus as she said she was a witchdoctor, yet her FAITH was profound! Every time I encountered her, I loved on her, prayed for her and one day as I hugged her, she wept in my arms. I do know Jesus was working in her heart and I believe He will continue to encounter her. This women blessed me and challenged my faith and now has me on a quest for more than a mustard seed of faith!