Help Me Overcome My Unbelief!

Mark 9:17-24

17 A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 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." 19 "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."  20 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.  21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"  "From childhood," he answered.  22 "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."  23 "'If you can'?" said Jesus.  "Everything is possible for one who BELIEVES."  24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do BELIEVE; help me overcome my UNBELIEF!"

There are so many reasons I love this passage of Scripture.  This passage is truth for me.  I am so much like the father.  I am so much like the son.  I am so much like the disciples.  So many times in my life I have found that my UNBELIEF is greater than my BELIEF.  That is so sad.  Jesus must have been so disappointed when He said, "You UNBELIEVING generation."  He even went on to say, "How long shall I stay with you?  How long shall I put up with you?"  Throughout the Scriptures I have found a certain truth about Jesus that I am so thankful for, and it is this: Jesus is extremely patient with me.  As you continue reading this passage, we find that Jesus commanded the spirit to come out of the boy.  Verse 26 says, "The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out.  The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, 'He's dead.'"  So many people still didn't BELIEVE.  But verse 27 goes on to say, "But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up."  I think the most important verse to hold on to in this passage is verse 23, when Jesus says, "Everything is possible for one who BELIEVES."  And now, I most identify with the father.  Today, I am crying out just like the father cried out, "I do BELIEVE; help me overcome my UNBELIEF!"

In Isaiah 43, I find another passage of Scripture that runs parallel to the passage in Mark 9.  Isaiah 43:1-2 says, "But now, this is what the Lord says - he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you Israel: 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."  If you look at Mark 9:22, the father told Jesus that the spirit "has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him."  But God told Isaiah that even when you pass through the water or walk through the fire, the waters will not sweep over you; the flames will not be set you ablaze.  Wow!!!  I desperately needed to hear this Word from God today!!!

I don't know what waters you are traveling through today.  I don't know what fires you are walking through today.  Your waters, your fire may be spiritual, may be emotional, may be physical, may be relational, and/or may be financial.  But if you are like me, you feel like you are drowning; you feel like you are burning.  Right now, you can cry out to God these words: "I DO BELIEVE; HELP ME OVERCOME MY UNBELIEF!"  Right now, you can turn from what you feel and turn to Who you know and what you know!  Right now, you can turn to God and His Word!  He loves you!  He has said to you, "YOU ARE MINE!"  

Lord, today I desperately need You and Your Word.  I am fighting with my feelings and my circumstances.  I feel like I am drowning; I feel like I am burning.  But I know You love me, and I know that I belong to You in Jesus.  I know Your Word is truth for me.  I BELIEVE!  HELP ME OVERCOME MY UNBELIEF!  Amen.