Prayer requests. Have you had the experience of receiving a call from someone asking for urgent prayer. This person needs God’s intervention now. You pray, but how do you feel when you do so? Are you like the father of the possessed boy? Does your belief waver? Sometimes I experience doubt. What am I to do? Do I try to generate the proper emotion, or……?
20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:20-24 (ESV)
Belief is a tough subject in today’s world. We have a 21st century idea of belief, but I am not sure we understand the biblical nuance. What does it really mean to believe?
Some think that to believe is to face reality then actively choose to acknowledge something that is untrue. Some think that what we believe is made true, rather than vice versa (find what is true, then believe that). What is real belief? When we believe, we are acknowledging something to be true, not creating a truth of our liking. To believe in Christ is to accept Him at His word and to, therefore, act accordingly. We place our trust in Him if we truly believe Him. To believe in His ability to cleanse the boy, acknowledges Christ’s power, it does not create it. We showour belief by our real responses.
The father of the possessed boy wanted to take Christ at His word. It must of seemed nuts. How could he entertain hope for a supernatural healing of his beloved son. He had been watching his son undergo difficult and painful convulsions resulting in physical harm for years. When he comes against the inability to believe, he does not conjure up an emotional, willful response. He reaches out for a second supernatural act. He asks Jesus to give him the belief he needs. The belief he needs is not self-generated. It originates in Jesus and results in his ability to believe the things Jesus has said and to act accordingly, that is, to trust Jesus. We have so much available in Christ if we will simply seek Him out and trust Him. We need to put aside our striving and our attempts to use our own power to try to manipulate outcomes. He can be trusted.
What is your belief and trust challenge? What does answered prayer look like for you? Is your belief centered in trust in Jesus? I am not suggesting Jesus will heal all your ailments. What I am suggesting is that He is good, He loves you, He has called you to Himself and can, therefore, be trusted. When you fail or are weak, do you give up in defeat? Or, do you ask Him for the belief you need?
Lord, help me in my unbelief.