I Believe. Help My Unbelief.

I have often identified with the father of the demon- possessed boy: "Lord I believe, help my unbelief." (Mark 9:22-27) Jesus accepted that brutally honest confession and healed his son. This man had real faith, but like all of us, in the midst of anguish, torment and fears -- in the face of this terrible and seemingly endless affliction besetting his own son whom he obviously deeply loved -- faith was a struggle, and doubts assailed him as he tried so hard to ask Jesus in faith for healing for his son.

Even among those of us who love the Lord and have seen His faithfulness for many years, when life throws awful things at us, yes, there is faith, but there are also fears and doubts that intrude into our minds and hearts, cropping up repeatedly as we pray. This may rob us of our confidence, of our hope, just when we need it most. “How can I count on God to listen to my pleas, to do something about this suffering, when my faith is so weak?”

When we think we need perfect faith, which we misconstrue as the total absence of doubt, for God to hear and answer our prayers, what kind of God must we think we serve? Not a God who loves us with perfect love, who knows we are frail, and dust, and that we are mortals seeing through a dark glass. A God who honors our honesty. A God who died for us, who redeemed us with His own blood. A God who has also lived as a man in this broken world.

When I am suffering trying to pray for myself or those I love in the face of serious and difficult realities, He is not standing around with His arms folded, jaw out, tapping His foot impatiently waiting for me to have enough faith. He gives me the faith I need when I pray an honest prayer asking for more faith. He draws near to me in my weakness. He answers my flawed prayers according to His perfect wisdom and infinite love.

Are you facing terrible difficulties, struggling to give them to the Lord, to pray as you ought, to find a place of peace and stillness? Don't worry about being perfect in faith. Don’t let that discourage you. Just cry out, ask, admitting your doubts and fears too. He will draw near to you. He will answer. And He will give you the faith you need.