My Unbelief

"One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, 'Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.'

Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

'How long has this been happening?”'Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, 'Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.'

'What do you mean, ‘If I can’?' Jesus asked. 'Anything is possible if a person believes.'

The father instantly cried out, 'I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!'

When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, He rebuked the evil spirit. 'Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,' He said. 'I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!'

Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, 'He’s dead.' But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up." Mark 9:17-27 NLT

I can relate to the boy's father. I know what it is like to be full of faith. The kind of faith that moves mountains. I can pray for people, face troubles, and challenges with confidence. But I know what it feels like to struggle with my faith. There are some challenges that can rock my faith. I feel like I just can't take it. I see no hope. Then I remember the father in the story. He was most honest. He told Jesus, "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!"

I'm amazed and encouraged by Jesus' response to such honesty; He healed the father's son. It encourages me to know that even though we are called to walk by faith, when we struggle, Jesus doesn't.

What faith issue are you struggling with today? Hold on to the little faith that you do have. Jesus can do the rest.