Faith as Small as a Mustard Seed: What Jesus Really Meant
All You Need Is Faith as Small as a Mustard Seed
“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed… nothing will be impossible for you.” — Matthew 17:20
Have you ever felt like your faith just isn’t strong enough? Maybe you’ve prayed but still felt afraid. Maybe you’ve believed God but still had doubts. Maybe you’ve looked at your situation—your finances, your health, your calling—and thought, “I don’t think I have enough faith for this.”
The good news? According to Jesus, you don’t need big faith. You just need mustard seed faith.
What Did Jesus Mean by Mustard Seed-Sized Faith?
In Matthew 17:20, Jesus says:
“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.”
A mustard seed is tiny—almost insignificant in appearance. Yet Jesus chose this seed intentionally. In Matthew 13:31–32, He also explains that the mustard seed, though small, grows into one of the largest garden plants.
Here’s the powerful truth: Faith is not about size. It’s about placement. It’s not about how strong you feel. It’s about who you’re trusting. A small seed placed in fertile soil can grow into something massive. Likewise, small faith placed in a big God can move mountains.
Mustard seed-sized faith means that it may start small, look insignificant and feel weak. But when it is placed in the hands of a powerful God, it grows beyond imagination.
A Mother’s Mustard Seed-Sized Faith
When we think of global evangelism, we think of Billy Graham—a man who preached to millions around the world. But before the stadiums, before the crusades, before the crowds—there was a mother praying in a quiet room.
Morrow Graham was not famous. She wasn’t on platforms. She was a faithful mother who consistently prayed for her children. Her prayers may have seemed small—just whispered petitions before God. But that mustard seed of faith grew into a ministry that touched nations. Her quiet prayers became a global harvest.
And I’ve seen this kind of faith in my own family. Likewise, my grandmother used to pray for my father when he was away from the Lord at age 18. Every Tuesday, she would fast and pray specifically for his salvation. Week after week. Month after month. For one year. There was no visible change at first. No dramatic signs. But after one year, God answered her prayers. My father committed his life to Christ. His life was transformed. And now, it has been more than 40 years of him faithfully serving the Lord.
That’s mustard seed faith.
My mother’s mother also prayed faithfully for her children. She asked God that at least one of her four children would serve Him in ministry. She didn’t mention any names. She simply surrendered it to God. And God chose my mother. She married into my father’s family, and together they have been serving the Lord for decades.
What may look like small, ordinary acts of faith—a prayer, a word of encouragement, a tear shed before God—are like mustard seeds. They may seem insignificant at first, but when placed in God’s hands, they can grow to shake nations. You don’t need to be famous or powerful to exercise faith. All you need is a mustard seed—just like Morrow Graham had. Just like my grandmothers had.
Galatians 6:9 reminds us:
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
And Hebrews 11:1 says:
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Mustard seed faith believes before it sees. It sows before it reaps. It trusts before it understands.
What Are the “Mountains” in Your Life?
When Jesus talks about mountains moving (Mark 11:23), He isn’t only speaking metaphorically. Mountains represent:
Financial struggles
Health crises
Family conflicts
Delayed promises
Fear and anxiety
Ministry challenges
Sometimes the mountain looks bigger than your faith. But faith doesn’t need to be bigger than the mountain—it just needs to be rooted in God.
Think of David in 1 Samuel 17. Goliath was a giant. David was a shepherd boy. But David didn’t measure the size of his faith against the size of Goliath. He measured Goliath against the size of his God. That’s mustard seed faith.
George Müller: When Faith Is All You Have
Another powerful example is George Müller, who cared for thousands of orphans in 19th-century England. He made a radical decision: he would never ask people for money. He would only ask God.
There was a morning when there was no food for the children. No bread. No milk. No visible provision. Yet Müller gathered the children around the table and thanked God for the meal that hadn’t arrived yet. George knew God would provide food for the children as he always did.
Within minutes, a baker knocked on the door. “Mr. Muller,” he said, “last night I could not sleep. Somehow I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in.” Soon, there was another knock at the door. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time the wheel was fixed. He asked George if he could use some free milk. George smiled as the milkman brought in ten large cans of milk. It was just enough for the 300 thirsty children.
Mustard seed faith.
You may feel like saying, “This is my last resort. This is all I have left.” But faith works best when we place even our last and little into God’s hands.
Just like the widow who gave Elisha her last meal in obedience (1 Kings 17:12–16), God multiplied her oil and flour so that she and her household never ran dry. When you trust and obey God, He will never let your jar run empty. His supply will always be greater than your need.
Why Small Faith Still Works
Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Notice—it doesn’t say, “Without big faith.” It simply says faith.
Faith works not because of its volume, but because of its object. Even trembling faith can move heaven when it is placed in a faithful God.
Think of a child crossing a busy road. Her grip on her father’s hand may be small. Weak, even. But she is safe—not because of her strength, but because of his. That’s how faith works. Your grip may feel weak. But if God is holding you, you are secure.
When Small Faith Became a Miracle
Faith works not because of its size—but because of its source. And sometimes, God allows us to witness that truth in real time.
Babita Bhatti from Chandigarh shares a powerful testimony of mustard seed faith in the middle of pain. She got married to Sohrab Bhatti on 11th December 2019. He serves in the Indian Air Force. Their marriage began beautifully. She was blessed with a supportive husband and godly in-laws.
For the first three years, everything seemed fine. But as time passed, Babita was unable to conceive. They consulted multiple doctors in Chandigarh. They spent large amounts of money on treatments. Every appointment carried hope. Every negative result carried heartbreak. And then came the social pressure. “Well, when are you giving us good news?” “Are you doing family planning?” The questions were constant. The whispers were painful. They began avoiding family functions and gatherings.
In 2022, a well-known gynecologist told her bluntly: “Babita, you will never be able to conceive naturally.” Those words shattered her. She began watching IVF treatment videos late into the night. When her husband found out, he broke down in tears. Unable to handle the sorrow, he secretly began drinking. When she discovered it, her peace collapsed even further. Shame covered their home. Even neighbors mocked them. But in her darkest season, Babita made one decision: She would not let go of Jesus. Her in-laws were connected to the Jesus Calls Ministry, and they continued praying faithfully for her.
In January 2023, her father-in-law and mother-in-law took her to the Jesus Calls Chandigarh Prayer Tower for a special blessing meeting. As she sat under the message that day, something shifted inside her. Faith rose in her heart. After the meeting, she walked up to the stage and boldly declared: “Next time, I will come back here with my child and testify from this same stage.”
That was mustard seed faith.
Prayer warriors gathered around her and prayed earnestly for her to conceive. She left strengthened and comforted. The very next week—she conceived. It was a completely natural pregnancy. No treatment. No procedure. She knew it was a miracle from the Lord Jesus. When she shared the news with her husband, he wept tears of joy. That very day, he repented and stopped drinking.
The journey was not without challenges. During pregnancy, she battled diabetes, thyroid complications, and high blood pressure. The enemy tried to attack both her child and her faith. But the prayer warriors continued to uphold her in chain prayer.
On 26th October 2023, the Lord blessed her with a beautiful baby girl. When she held her daughter in her arms, every shame, every tear, every insult faded away. They named her Samaira.
The same society that once mocked her now honors her. Her husband rejoices. Her in-laws rejoice. Their home is filled with joy. And true to her declaration, she returned to the same Prayer Tower—this time holding her child—and testified of God’s faithfulness. After four years of marriage, God turned their sorrow into joy.
That is mustard seed faith. This testimony beautifully reinforces the truth: Faith is not denying the pain. Faith is trusting God in the pain. Even when doctors say “never.” Even when society mocks. Even when your peace feels shattered. Small faith in a faithful God can rewrite your story.
How to Grow Your Mustard Seed-Sized Faith
Even though faith starts small, it is meant to grow.
Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. If you want your faith to grow:
1. Feed Your Faith
Spend time in Scripture. Worship. Pray. Speak God’s promises over your life.
2. Exercise Your Faith
Take small steps of obedience. Faith grows when you act on what God says.
3. Guard Your Faith
Be mindful of what you allow into your heart—fear, doubt, negativity, comparison.
A seed needs soil, water, and sunlight. Faith needs God’s Word, obedience, and persistence.
When You Feel Like Your Faith Isn’t Enough
Let’s be honest—sometimes faith feels fragile. You believe, but you’re tired. You trust, but you’re hurting. You pray, but you’re waiting.
Even the disciples once said, “Lord, increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5). And Jesus responded by reminding them that even faith as small as a mustard seed is enough.
God is not asking you for perfection. He is asking you for trust. Bring Him your little. Bring Him your doubt. Bring Him your last jar of oil. And watch what He does.
Bring Your Seed
Maybe today your faith feels small. That’s okay. The question is not, “How big is your faith?” The question is, “Is your faith in God?” A mustard seed may be tiny, but inside it is unstoppable potential.
Faith is not loud. Faith is not dramatic. Faith is not always confident on the outside. Sometimes faith looks like tears on a pillow. Sometimes it looks like fasting every Tuesday. Sometimes it looks like standing on a stage with nothing in your arms — and declaring that one day you will return holding your miracle.
All you need is faith as small as a mustard seed. Plant it. Trust God with it. And let Him grow it into something far beyond what you imagined.
Watch our song, Visuvasam, inspired by this mustard seed-sized faith in Tamil and Telugu and take the next step in growing your faith into a life that bears lasting fruit.