The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
Read: Leviticus 20:22-22:16, Mark 9:1-29, Psalm 43:1-5, Proverbs 10:18
Relate: Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. Anselm calls it “Faith seeking understanding.” I know God is good, but I do not know how His goodness will be seen in this situation. I know God is in control, but I cannot see the way through this chaos. I know God is worthy of my praise, but right now I’m a little ticked off at Him. For the father it was, “I know that He can heal my son, I just don’t know if and how it will happen.”
Do you blame him? Since a little boy a demon has been sending him into epileptic seizures that always seem to happen at the worst, most dangerous possible moment. Can you imagine the years of vigilance these parents have lovingly shown to keep their boy alive? Then they hear that there’s a guy who can perform wonders. Jesus isn’t around but that’s OK, his disciples have been healing people too. Except for his son, they couldn’t. I believe… but I don’t. I know that You can. I just don’t know if You will.
React: There’s a call and response I’ve heard for a long time in a lot of places. Someone will say out, “God is good.” Everyone will respond, “All the time.” Then it will be reversed and the speaker will say, “And all the time.” The response… “God is good.” There have been some times when I’m saying it right along with everybody else but inside I’m saying, “Oh really? I don’t see it.” I’ve been places in my life, I’ve been in pits where I don’t see any way out. The truth is, when I’ve been down there, that has exactly been my prayer. “God, I know You are good, but I just don’t see it. Open my eyes.” That’s me praying, “I believe, help my unbelief.”
The thing is, when the dad was in trouble he knew who to go to. He came to Jesus and even though he had to wait, he stayed there until he had his answer. Even when Jesus’ followers let him down, he stayed there until he had his answer. And when Jesus asked that all important question, he didn’t put on a pretty facade. He told it like it is. “My faith is seeking understanding. I believe, help my unbelief.”
Respond:
Dear God,
Sometimes it is so easy to believe and sometimes… I know You are good. I KNOW IT, but sometimes… it just gets so hard to see it. You love me. You want the best for me far more than I even want it for myself. Sometimes I just don’t know how You are working good through the mess this life sometimes tosses me. In those times, as I seek understanding, help me to never lose faith.
Amen
THE RIVER WALK 
I know he can; I just don’t know if he will.”
Exactly my conundrum. Especially knowing that we are called to suffer and be disappointed with this life, and nobody gets every prayer answered. Thanks for speaking to this.
Reblogged this on ChristianBlessings and commented:
Lord, please help me to hang on in faith.
Hi BJ, I just ran into one of these yesterday. My sinuses have been killing me lately, felt like the top of my head was coming off. Spent half of yesterday on my knees asking God to heal me and explaining to Him why His word indicated He should. I know, pretty impertinent on my part but I covered that with pointing out my lack of understanding. Last night I had to go to the doctor because the pain and pressure was so bad. Turns out one of the medications I was previously given I shouldn’t have been taking due to my high blood pressure. My blood pressure was 180/100 (dangerously high). The different doctor took my off the med and told me to take a muscle relaxer. Muscle relaxer, never heard of that before. Poof …. almost instant relief and the BP is back down. I don’t understand why He fixed it this way but the relief feels so good I really don’t care. It’s hard to think when you are in pain, especially when it’s your head. A couple of weeks ago I laid hands on a non-Christian co-worker who has a bad ankle and prayed for his healing. Nothing happened. I don’t understand that either. God knows better, I believe that, He loves us. Learning to trust in Him is a biggie and we’ll never understand all of His reasoning while we are here on this earth. But …. someday, when we are with Him, we will. In the meantime, this is another of many lessons to trust in Him.
Blessings!
Glad you are feeling better. Sometimes I get a kick out of God healed my allergy related asthma buy not the allergies themselves. Cats and dogs can still give me an itchy nose and watery eyes, but the breathing is now fine. To “heal” the alergies God took me out of a swamp (Chili NY) and put me in a desert.
Hi BJ, I’m glad that our Lord has a sense of humour. I apologized profusely this morning in my prayers. Just wanted you to know that I really appreciate your honesty in your posts. You often verbalize what I think but don’t often say out loud. Sending off my monthly contribution shortly (minutes). Blessings!
Thank you and thank you. Reminds me I have to get that monthly update written and sent out today.
Amen, Brother. Amen.
Good post…Hebrews 11:1 is a great verse on this question: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” There is a gap between where we are and where we want to get to…things hoped for…things not seen…that creates the context for faith to actualize and operate. In this account, Jesus is disappointed in the disciples lack of faith…but goes on to say “this kind does not come out except through prayer and fasting”…acknowledging the difficulty in this case in getting from here to there…which Jesus can do every time but we struggle with our faith to close the gap.