How To Trust God In Mustard Seed Moments

I keep thinking about the parable of the mustard seed in Matthew’s Gospel. When Jesus was explaining the kingdom of heaven to those listening, He said,

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It’s the smallest of all seeds, but when it’s grown, it’s taller than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches” (Matthew 13:31-32).

In ministry, it’s easy to yearn for grand, spiritual highs. Believe me, I know. I spent many years organizing youth retreats focused on creating that one emotional moment. It’s a powerful experience to see the Spirit move in a room full of people, changing lives and setting people on a completely new course.

But that’s not always how ministry works. In fact, I think Jesus paints a different picture. It’s not always about big moments. Sometimes (maybe even most of the time), the moments are small—so small that we might miss them if we’re not paying attention.

A goodie bag with a simple family devotional, some candy, and a few fun toys. A conversation while coloring a cross. A mentoring word over a disagreement. A mom grateful for a safe friend for her child to play with. These were those small moments this weekend.

“Mustard seed” was the phrase we kept coming back to all weekend. Seeds so small that if we weren’t looking, we might have missed them. But when we do spot them, we trust God to provide the growth. We simply pray that the smallest, simplest acts of ministry will grow into something bigger than we could ever imagine.

Oddly enough, this great ministry experience happened right in the heart of sin city. Our first stop on the national race tour was Las Vegas. It was a four-day event with over 334 cars registered, 22 states represented and 2 countries with several hundred families.

We arrived, set up for the weekend, and within minutes, the craft table was crowded with kids—many of whom we hadn’t met before. This time, we added something special: each child received a goodie bag filled with fun treats, toys, and most importantly, a family devotional.

Honestly, I wish I could tell you that I had dozens of deep, meaningful conversations with parents, prayed with them, and ministered to them. But that’s not really how nationals work. They’re busy. Most families are running from car to car, race to race, barely stopping to eat and running on just a few hours of sleep. But that often means the siblings get bored.

That’s where we come in. Meet the need and doors will open.

And that’s when we hear things like this from a 10-year-old racer:

“We don’t need a ton of education to be successful. We just need the Word of God.”

That’s when Hannah’s advice on how to handle a bully left a mom incredibly grateful.

A simple craft table, being present, a short prayer in the morning, a snack, a hug, or a friend—each done in Jesus’ name. These are all tiny mustard seeds planted in our community. Seeds that God will grow for His kingdom and His glory.

So take a moment today and think about the small, seemingly insignificant moments in your own life and ministry and trust that, like the mustard seed, those small acts can grow into something bigger than you imagine. It’s about being faithful in the little things—whether it’s a conversation, a simple gesture, or a moment of presence—and believing that God will take those small seeds and use them for His kingdom and His glory.