Seeds of Trust, Mountains of Faith
I walked into my kitchen this morning and noticed an unfamiliar clay pot sitting on the counter. Peering into the container, I studied the scattering of green sprouts poking up from the dirt and wondered what was growing. I’m not a gardening expert, so, to me, the sprouts could be anything—flowers, fruits, vegetables, a majestic tree, or something I haven’t imagined yet.
I do have an idea who put the planter there, though. In the past year, my teenage son has developed a love for gardening. His interest began with a horticulture class at school and extended to our family garden. Now our house and yard are scattered with his seedlings. So, while I don’t know what will bloom from that particular pot, I have seen the love that my son pours into everything he grows, so I trust it will be good.
This tiny mystery in my kitchen makes me think of Matthew 17 when Jesus’ disciples asked Him why they hadn’t been able to heal a boy who needed help. Jesus replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20)
When I’ve read that verse in the past, I’ve focused on the mountain moving bit. Like the disciples, I’ve fixated on big outcomes—miracles I wanted to see and prayers I begged God to answer. Instead of cultivating faith, this can make me anxious and impatient, my prayers echoing the disciples’ questioning.
Looking at the sprouts in the planter today, I realize Jesus’ metaphor of the seed isn’t just about results; it’s about process. Faith is less about achieving the “what” and more about trusting the “Who.” When I stay rooted in God and trust that the Master Gardener is at work, everything changes. God enters in to cultivate, prune, and grow something beautiful.
In my life, I’ve seen miracles of provision, endurance, and hope. Mountain-moving times of relationships restored, unexpected opportunities, healing, and growth that transform my petitions into worship of the One who works within us to do exceedingly more than we can ask or imagine.
I love picturing God smiling down at us as my son does his seedlings. Even when the first green shoots are all that’s visible, God knows what’s growing and has a vision for what’s to come. So, I’ll keep watching that little pot on my counter, excited to see what blooms. And I pray for faith to see my life like that seed—possible of anything when I’m in the wise, careful care of our loving Master Gardener.
Questions for Reflection:
What “seed” of faith is God planting in your life right now? Are there areas where you feel uncertain or impatient? How might you entrust those sprouts to the care of the Master Gardener, believing in His timing and goodness?
Amy Olrick’s work and writing have been featured in the Guardian, USA Today, and ChristianParenting.org. She and her husband, Dr. Jeffrey Olrick, are co-authors of the book, The 6 Needs of Every Child: Empowering Parents & Kids through the Science of Connection and share parenting resources at GrowingConnected.com
