by What if God chooses not to take away a mountain? Unlike what the charismatics proclaim, it is not always a lack of faith when our mountain is not removed. We have a good example of this with the Apostle Paul and his “thorn in the flesh” where God chose not to remove his mountain. We do not do the Word of God an injustice by considering just how human Paul was as he faced his thorny mountain. His body was ravishing, mind wondering, and emotions wavering as his mountain caused every aspect of his being to be tried to the limit. Think about it, Paul had the gift to heal this mountain in others, yet he could not heal it for himself. I can see Paul going thrice, boldly, before the throne of grace with the question “WHY?” pulsating through his mind. As we step back and realize just how human Paul was, we see how God’s grace was truly sufficient for more than his physical mountain. Because of the abundant grace of God, Paul was able to continue to serve God and minister healing to others though God refused to remove his mountain.
Maybe God has given some of us a mountain that He will not take away, a mountain that we can so easily help others through yet He has given us the sufficient grace to keep the thorns in our flesh. When God does not remove our mountain, we should attack it like Caleb did in Joshua 14. As Caleb “wholly followed the Lord his God” he did not ask for the mountain to be removed. He said, “give me this mountain,” and he did it saying “if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able!” The same grace of God that enabled Caleb to “be able,” that allowed Paul to “be able,” will allow us to “be able” also.
Rather than thinking that our faith is not sufficient, plant that tiny “grain of mustard seed” in our own lives and let it flourish to do its job as we face our thorny mountains. Then boldly “let your request be made known unto God,” asking as Caleb did, “GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN!” and continue serving God regardless of whatever physical, financial or family mountains you may be climbing.
[Verses: Joshua 14:6-15; Matthew 17:20; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Philippians 4:6]
