“He was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response Jesus said to it, ‘Let no one eat fruit from you ever again’” (Mark 11:12-13 NKJV).

The eleventh chapter of Mark has been a source of conviction and hope the last few days: conviction because I know there have been times when the Lord looked upon me wanting to see fruit but didn’t, and hope because of what happened later. First, let’s look at the conviction part.

The Lord Jesus was hungry, and the fig tree wasn’t bearing fruit. He cursed the fig tree and continued on His way to Jerusalem, where He cleansed the temple of thieves and robbers—the money changers and dove sellers. When I read about Jesus’ disappointment in the fig tree, it took me to prayer to search my heart and to ask forgiveness for the times the Lord expected fruit from me but found none. He forgave me, and I am so grateful, but what happens next in the story gives us hope.

“Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.’ So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them’” (vv. 20-24).

And there’s the hope. If there was evidence of the fig tree’s withering at the moment of Jesus’ cursing it the previous day, it is obvious the disciples didn’t see it. It wasn’t until the next day that they saw the evidence: the fig tree was “dried up from the roots.”

From the roots! It was all-encompassing! What Jesus said was done! And what He has said to us through His Word and the personal promises that are supported by His Word are done. We may not see it today, but we wait in full assurance of faith that it will be so, complete, just like the promise says!

I love that word done. I go to Philippians 1:6 often because it explains done and the hope we have for doneness: “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” We can rest in what the Word says. We can rest in the promises of God! We can walk by faith, even when we can’t see one withered leaf (2 Corinthians 5:7).

We’ve asked some pretty big things of the Lord regarding our prodigals, and we can take these words of Jesus about the mountain to heart, but what about the times we pray with a weak faith? We find the answer in Mark 9:24. We can always say, like the father of the demon-possessed child: “‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’” He will answer that prayer, too!

Jesus’ cursing the fig tree because He found no fruit on it brought me conviction, but this morning when I read about how the disciples didn’t see the completion of His proclamation until later, I saw victory for prodigals instead of a curse for myself. Those mountains we’ve told to “Be removed and be cast into the sea”? I see them under water. The lies the enemy has told our prodigals about who God is and who they are, the strongholds he has built, the weapons he has formed to steal, kill, and destroy? I see them under water, drowned, inoperable, ineffective, destroyed!

It’s done!