Heal My Unbelief

Daily Reading: Genesis 37, Psalm 37, Mark 9, Proverbs 6

A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

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.”

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Mark 9:17-24

I imagine we have all found ourselves relating to the main in this story at times in our lives.

We want to come before our father in Heaven in prayer, submitting our petitions to him, but that nagging unbelief lingers…

We want to believe what Jesus told us back in Matthew 7:7-12.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

However, we struggle to summon that faith the size of a mustard seed that Jesus preached to his followers. We struggle with unbelief.

I love the man in this story, and his authentic reaction to Jesus confronting him on whether or not he truly believes that Jesus is capable of healing his son, when so many others have failed.

He starts with, “I do believe…” and then immediately confesses, “…heal my unbelief.”

God knows that we struggle believing. God knows we struggle to accept his calling for our life. God knows every one of our human weaknesses.

I can’t help but smile reading this passage as Jesus shows us that part of him that is fully human and slightly annoyed in today’s story. 

“You unbelieving generation, how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?”

Can you imagine being Jesus, walking the earth in human form, having performed miracle after miracle, and still having people doubt?

I think I would want to shake my head and ask, “How long shall I put up with you?” as well!

And yet our God is also patient. He is loving. 

He wants to give us the chance to turn our unbelief into belief. 

He wants to give us the chance to step into our calling even if we begin that journey needing to be dragged into it a bit, kicking and screaming like a child. That nervousness, apprehension, and personal insecurity put us in good company when you read stories of all the major characters throughout the Bible.

He wants to give us peace that transcends all understanding, if we will just believe and take the yoke of Jesus upon our shoulders.

The key is that we are willing to say, “Lord, heal my unbelief.”

I can point back to many times throughout my life where I prayed that prayer at some point along the way and God was there to greet me.

However, I sometimes wonder how many times I have missed out on something God had put in my path, whether it be an undeserved blessing or an opportunity to serve others, because I stayed stuck in my unbelief.

How many times did God try to give me the opportunity to follow his instruction and turn everything over to him, but I chose to lean on my own strength and understanding?

I know as a parent, I constantly have to think through this with my own children. Sometimes they make the right choice the first time, but often I have given them one too many reminders (my wife might argue three too many reminders) and there needs to be consequences for their disobedience.

It is the same when we repeatedly ignore what God has asked of us.

I am a human father with imperfect judgment, and will make countless mistakes while parenting. 

Our father in Heaven’s judgment is perfect and just. 

Our human timeline is short. His timeline is eternal.

Today, this week, and this year my prayer will be, “Lord, heal my unbelief. Heal my unbelief on a daily basis that you want to work in my life. Heal my unbelief on the larger scale so that I might have the courage to be steadfast on this path you have put me on. Help me to trust your plan, even if I don’t understand it along the way or wish that you would answer my prayers in a different way.”

Heal my unbelief.

Daily Reflection & Dialogue

When have I been the father in the story wanting to ask God for a miracle in my life or the life of a loved one and struggled with unbelief?