LEARNING DAILY

Mark 9:24, Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!"

Have you struggled with this inner conflict? You know the time(s) when the desire to have unwavering faith in the Lord and His Word conflicts with doubts and uncertainties. In the situation being faced in the verse above, a man is pleading with Jesus to heal his son; the disciples have not been able to do so. The crowd is there waiting to see what will happen. The situation is one where faith, doubt, and power of belief are faced.

The situation centers on the man’s statement, “If You can do anything….” The father seems to have a lack of faith; perhaps, it is because the disciples could not heal the boy. Jesus picked up on his use of the word “if” and responded, “Anything is possible to him who believes.” The father was probably being honest – he had faith, but it needed help to have enough to see his son healed.

I guess that might describe many Believers at different times. They know what the Bible says, trust God to take care of and direct their lives; then something comes up that just seems to overpower their faith. The faith they have does not seem to be quite enough to help them get through, defeat, or even follow Jesus in that moment. They must ask Him for more faith.

I believe it is okay to struggle with our faith at times when uncertainty and doubt try to creep into our lives. When that happens, be honest with God about your fears and doubt. God knows! Acknowledging them to Him can be an act of surrender which opens the possibilities for growth and a stronger walk with Him as He works in our heart. Admitting our struggles and seeking God’s help is an admission that walking the narrow way is a journey that will continue until we step into God’s eternal kingdom. Mark 9:24 is a reminder that faith in Jesus Christ and His ability to provide for Believers is essential in times of need.

Spending time with Him in His Word, giving Him the priority in your life is the only way to allow Him to build your faith and belief in Him and His power. Consider the desperation in this father when he said he believed but he needed the Lord Jesus to give him more to face the need he had. Let his example give you whatever spark you need to reach out to Him for a greater and deeper walk with Him. Tougher days may lie ahead. Evil is not going away; it seems to be growing bolder and darker. Deception is growing and people are being deceived. As a Believer, I know my faith and obedience needs to be stronger and more reliant on God. Asking Him to empower me to live a life that pleases Him is the beginning; it is something every believer needs to do each day.  "I believe; help my unbelief!" It is a statement of faith; it is a statement that my faith is far from perfect.