Stop Talking About Them!
ICS Daily Devotions
Mark 11:21-23 (NKJV) And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God”. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
Our faith in God is built upon His Word, because it is what gives substance to our faith. The Word of God serves as an anchor for our faith because God and His Word are one. It reveals His will because God will never do anything outside His Word and promises. Jesus is the Word made flesh; He is one with the Father and shows us the Father. He came to fulfil the Father’s will, never speaking or doing anything contrary to the Father’s will.
In the opening passage, Jesus instructs us to speak to, rather than talk about the mountain. Often, we make the mistake of elevating the magnitude of our problems by discussing and recounting them to everyone we meet. Unfortunately, this practice only leads us toward disbelief, as the more we talk about the problems, the more insurmountable they seem. Such discussions do not provide solutions but only breed worry, doubt, and unbelief. By excessively focusing on our problems, we may even talk ourselves into depression, as the situation appears increasingly hopeless.
For instance, singles like to complain about the lack of eligible candidates, and at the peak of COVID-19, the fears and dangers associated with the virus were hot topics of discussion, leading to panic and unnecessary fear. In the current economic climate, conversations often revolve around sectors that are at risk, and restructuring due to mergers and acquisitions. However, over-focusing on these topics only breeds hopelessness.
Jesus, on the other hand, dispelled doubt, and unbelief wherever He went.
Luke 8:51-52 (NKJV) When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.”
By excluding those who doubted and focused on the problem, and only bringing with Him a selected few when He tended to Jairus’ daughter, Jesus maintained Jairus’ faith and trust in God. Likewise, sometimes all we need are like-minded individuals, who are full of faith and the Holy Spirit, to encourage and support us. People who speak words of faith can redirect our focus from the problem to God.
Therefore, let us hold one another accountable. When we hear of someone talking excessively about their mountains, we should ask them whether they think the mountain should be in their lives. We need to know from Scriptures what mountains are not supposed to be in our lives, and speak to them instead of speaking about them.
Sermon Series: Cell Group Campaign
