"Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, `Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. "Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions." Mark 11:23-25
I have yet to see a literal mountain move, if that's what Jesus really means by these words. In the Phoenix valley where I live, I'm surrounded by mountains that appear to remain where they have always been since they were created.
Mountains are obstacles that can be moved by faith but, according to Jesus, there is more involved than just faith. Praying in faith is important, but so is forgiveness. And perhaps that's the bigger "mountain" that needs to be moved. Lack of forgiveness can loom as large as a mountain.
In Jesus' Sermon On the Mount He says, "So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift" Matthew 5:23-24. Reconciliation is prerequisite to worship.
Relationships easily get messy. Best of friends can reach an impasse and choose to part ways. Even the apostle Paul faced such a situation: "There was such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed off to Cyprus" Acts 15:39. We do learn that Paul, by the end of his life, had resolved this issue. He had found a way to remove this mountain of unforgiveness.
We may have found ways to ignore a mountain of unforgivness in our relationships, but that doesn't mean the mountain isn't there. Perhaps even now, as you read these words, a name or situation comes to mind that reminds you such a mountain does exist. Nothing may seem more difficult than moving this mountain, but through faith and prayer it IS possible, as Jesus has promised.
I don't like stirring up unpleasant situations from the past (and especially my own past), but if there is a mountain of unresolved issues with someone, today is an important day to face and remove that mountain. Romans 12:18 says, "If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone." Granted, sometimes it is not possible on our part, much as we want a situation resolved. But if we have fully done our part to remove that mountain, we can live in peace in knowing that we tried.
"be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ" Ephesians 4:32.
May we experience liberating freedom through forgiveness and reconciliation today.
©Steve Taylor, 2022 --Used by permission
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