HELP MY UNBELIEF
A high school senior gently knocked on my office door one Tuesday morning. She was the top student in my Comparative Religions class, so I was excited to chat. After sitting down, she gulped, "I am starting to doubt my faith." Her face appeared ashamed as she shrunk into her chair. "That's amazing news," I announced. Shame morphed into relief. She responded, "Wait; I thought you'd be concerned. What do you mean?" Optimistically, I explained, "This means you are thinking for yourself. Let's talk!”
Doubt, within itself, isn't a bad sign. It's often a great one. It means that you are thinking for yourself, wrestling with your beliefs, and taking ownership of your faith. People don't abandon faith because of doubt. They leave because they never took true ownership of their faith. While doubt seems dangerous, it can be significant. It is often the first step to wisdom, growth, and understanding. Doubt, when properly approached, can lead us to deeper faith.
Faith can fluctuate in our lives. Sometimes faith flows like a fountain. Other times, faith feels like a fight. I'm sure you've been there. You're wrestling with complex questions while God seems silent. If you've ever felt this way, then you are not alone. Meet a fascinating figure in Mark's Gospel. A caring father is in the middle of a faith crisis, so he approaches Jesus with his doubts.
Doubt, within itself, isn't a bad sign. It's often a great one. It means that you are thinking for yourself, wrestling with your beliefs, and taking ownership of your faith. People don't abandon faith because of doubt. They leave because they never took true ownership of their faith. While doubt seems dangerous, it can be significant. It is often the first step to wisdom, growth, and understanding. Doubt, when properly approached, can lead us to deeper faith.
Faith can fluctuate in our lives. Sometimes faith flows like a fountain. Other times, faith feels like a fight. I'm sure you've been there. You're wrestling with complex questions while God seems silent. If you've ever felt this way, then you are not alone. Meet a fascinating figure in Mark's Gospel. A caring father is in the middle of a faith crisis, so he approaches Jesus with his doubts.
READ: Mark 9:17; 20-27
"Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech”… So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he
answered. "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." "If you can?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes.”
The young boy in this story was mentally tormented for his entire life. His family must have been mentally tormented as well. Imagine going through every day knowing your son could attempt suicide at any moment. Most parents get to watch their kids develop, grow, and thrive. In desperation, these parents saw their son experience suffering, torture, and darkness. The distress developed into doubt.
This doubting dad pleads, "Help me with my unbelief" (9:24). These aren't the words of a devout, happy-go-lucky, faith-filled follower of Jesus. Nope, this discussion drips with desperation and doubt. He's asking for two miracles. First, he wants his child to be rescued. Second, he wants his faith to be restored.
Without hesitation, Jesus moves in power. The boy convulses on the ground as a plume of red dust rises around him like steam from a kettle. Suddenly, the madness becomes motionlessness. After an uncomfortable stillness, he rises to his feet, dusts himself off, and smiles wide. The son encountered restoration, and the father's faith experienced resurrection.
What do you do when doubt seems daunting?
"Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech”… So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he
answered. "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." "If you can?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes.”
The young boy in this story was mentally tormented for his entire life. His family must have been mentally tormented as well. Imagine going through every day knowing your son could attempt suicide at any moment. Most parents get to watch their kids develop, grow, and thrive. In desperation, these parents saw their son experience suffering, torture, and darkness. The distress developed into doubt.
This doubting dad pleads, "Help me with my unbelief" (9:24). These aren't the words of a devout, happy-go-lucky, faith-filled follower of Jesus. Nope, this discussion drips with desperation and doubt. He's asking for two miracles. First, he wants his child to be rescued. Second, he wants his faith to be restored.
Without hesitation, Jesus moves in power. The boy convulses on the ground as a plume of red dust rises around him like steam from a kettle. Suddenly, the madness becomes motionlessness. After an uncomfortable stillness, he rises to his feet, dusts himself off, and smiles wide. The son encountered restoration, and the father's faith experienced resurrection.
What do you do when doubt seems daunting?
Pray: "God, Help my unbelief."
This is a phrase we will all pray at one point or another. Questions will become too big. Life will become too hard. Doubt will become too dark. Jesus didn't tell this man, "Sorry pal, you're out of luck! You don't believe, so you're stuck." Instead, Jesus encouraged this man to begin with the little bit of faith he already had. It was small, but it was a start.
Start With The Little Faith You Have
We must follow this father's lead. Start with the faith you have, even if it's only a little. Take inventory of all the ways you've seen Jesus move in the past, then write them down. Look at all the good things in your life and thank God for them. Place your hand on your heart and count your heartbeats. Know that each pump is proof of God's purpose for you. You don't need to have faith the size of a mountain; you just need faith the size of a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20).
What are some places where you're struggling to trust Jesus? Tell Him right now. Are you questioning the correlation between faith and science? Bring that to God. Are you losing sleep because God has seemed silent? Tell that to your loving Father. Are you questioning God because your experience didn't match your expectation? Go to God instead of running the other way.
If you have doubts, pray this today. "God I have a little bit of faith, but I have doubts too. Can you help me with my unbelief?" You don't need supersized faith, just some faith. Take that fragment of faith and apply it to a conversation with God. The Apostle Paul encourages you to walk by faith. He doesn't teach you to sit by faith, think by faith, or rest by faith. It's a verb. It encourages us to move forward in faith. Faith isn't an idea, it's an action. Faith formation can require a journey, discussion, or a wrestling match.
We eclipse our doubts when we walk in faith. That's your calling today. Walk forward in the faith you have, even if it's small.
This is a phrase we will all pray at one point or another. Questions will become too big. Life will become too hard. Doubt will become too dark. Jesus didn't tell this man, "Sorry pal, you're out of luck! You don't believe, so you're stuck." Instead, Jesus encouraged this man to begin with the little bit of faith he already had. It was small, but it was a start.
Start With The Little Faith You Have
We must follow this father's lead. Start with the faith you have, even if it's only a little. Take inventory of all the ways you've seen Jesus move in the past, then write them down. Look at all the good things in your life and thank God for them. Place your hand on your heart and count your heartbeats. Know that each pump is proof of God's purpose for you. You don't need to have faith the size of a mountain; you just need faith the size of a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20).
What are some places where you're struggling to trust Jesus? Tell Him right now. Are you questioning the correlation between faith and science? Bring that to God. Are you losing sleep because God has seemed silent? Tell that to your loving Father. Are you questioning God because your experience didn't match your expectation? Go to God instead of running the other way.
If you have doubts, pray this today. "God I have a little bit of faith, but I have doubts too. Can you help me with my unbelief?" You don't need supersized faith, just some faith. Take that fragment of faith and apply it to a conversation with God. The Apostle Paul encourages you to walk by faith. He doesn't teach you to sit by faith, think by faith, or rest by faith. It's a verb. It encourages us to move forward in faith. Faith isn't an idea, it's an action. Faith formation can require a journey, discussion, or a wrestling match.
We eclipse our doubts when we walk in faith. That's your calling today. Walk forward in the faith you have, even if it's small.
READING PLAN
READ THESE PASSAGES IN ORDER EVERY DAY
Do the following with each passage:
ASK– God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down and inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you today.
READ– the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.
REFLECT– on what grabs you. How does this passage personally relate to your own life and experiences?
RESPOND– to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered.
READ THESE PASSAGES IN ORDER EVERY DAY
- Psalm 136:1-5
- Psalm 136:6-10
- Exodus 14:14
- John 14:27
- 1 John 4:16-19
- Matthew 5:14-16
- 2 Corinthians 5:14-16
Do the following with each passage:
ASK– God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down and inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you today.
READ– the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.
REFLECT– on what grabs you. How does this passage personally relate to your own life and experiences?
RESPOND– to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered.
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