Grow in the Face of “It”
By Michelle Sierra, Life Climb Consulting LLC
Mark 11:23 (NLT)
“I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.”
In life, we all face mountains. They are not mountains of dirt and rock, but challenges, debts, sickness, betrayals, or fears. They are giants that seem immovable. But Jesus taught us that instead of hiding or retreating, we must lift our voices in faith and say: “Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!” In other words: grow in the face of it.
Think of a tree beginning to grow in soil filled with stones. At first, it looked fragile, but its roots gradually pushed through. It doesn’t stop because of the obstacles; rather, those very stones force it to grow deeper and stronger. This is how the character of a believer develops. It does not grow in comfort but in the struggle against what seems impossible.
When Jesus speaks of “mountains” in Mark 11:23, He reminds us that there are realities we cannot move by human strength. Israel faced the Red Sea, Joshua faced the walls of Jericho, and David saw Goliath. Each one had to decide: flee or stand in faith? Spiritual growth shows itself when we look at the impossible and confess: “My God is greater than this.”
Notice that Jesus did not say it was enough to look at the mountain or complain about it. He said: “You can say…” Mature faith speaks, declares, and dares. What we say in a crisis reveals our character. The people shouted and the walls of Jericho fell. David spoke with courage to Goliath, not the other way around. Jesus spoke to the wind and the sea, and everything grew calm. Faith that does not dare to speak has not yet grown strong enough.
We also see this in Jacob. For years, he ran from his brother Esau, but at Peniel he had an encounter with God that transformed his life. There, his name was changed from Jacob (the deceiver) to Israel (the one who wrestles with God). He learned to face what he feared and to depend entirely on God. Though he walked away limping, he walked away blessed, carrying a renewed character.
The same happens with you. Where there was fear, God plants courage. Where there was defeat, He brings victory. Where there was silence, He raises a word of faith from your mouth.
To grow in character means choosing not to run from the mountain, but to speak to it with the authority that comes from trusting Christ. Like the tree that pushes through the stones, you too can grow through difficulty. Today, God is calling you to look straight at what seemed immovable and boldly declare: “Grow in the face of it, because my God is greater than this.”