October 13th
Feeble Faith
Mark 9:23-24
And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Within most of us is the dichotomy of belief is interwoven with unbelief. We have a mixture of knowing and uncertainty. It is a feeble faith. It is small and shaky. We want to wholeheartedly believe, yet we are held in check by unbelief.
Jesus encounters a man whose son is demon possessed. His hopes of his son’s deliverance were dim. He had no ability to alleviate the situation. He couldn’t help his son. He was powerless to prevail over the problem.
In desperation he turns to Jesus’ disciples asking if they could heal his son, but they couldn’t. Bewildered, he wonders even if Jesus could do what his disciples could not. In despair he seeks out Jesus. He was his hope for healing.
In uncertainty he appeals to Jesus. “If you can do anything, have compassion on us, help us.” Jesus hears. He reacts. “If you can! All things are possible with one who believes.” Jesus seems to chide the man for questioning His ability to heal his son.
But the concern wasn’t his ability to heal, but the father’s disbelief in Christ’s ability. It was the man’s faith. It seemed the solution was hindered by the man’s disbelief.
Trust was hard when his son had been this way his whole life. Yet hope was on the horizon. Jesus stood ready. Jesus could if the man can. If the man could muster up even the smallest seed of faith, healing would happen. If there was an ounce of belief, everything would change. The man responses, “I believe, help my unbelief.” His honest reply initiates a response. His feeble faith was activated. Small yet significant, Jesus responses. His son is healed.
This is a picture of us. We profess belief, yet we are plagued by unbelief. But it is not the size of our faith or the specks of doubt mingled with it that hinder His hand. It is the lack of any faith at all.
So, It is not the purity of our faith, but the presence of it that matters. A mustard seed of faith is all that it takes to move your mountains. It is all that is necessary to heal your hurts, to repair what is broken, and to rebuild what has been torn down. Jesus can. Believe in your unbelief that He can. He will help you from there.
Today reaffirm that mountains are moved by a mere mustard seed of faith. Praise the Lord that feeble faith is faith enough. Pray what this desperate man prayed, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief.” He can and He will.
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