I’ve been taking a Bible study online over at Bible Cafe for Women.  One of the lessons I’ve been taken aback with is about unbelief. I think this is something that we all struggle with whether we allow ourselves to admit it or not. We walk around using all the popular “jargon” used in the Christian environment but do we truly believe God?  Do we take Him at His word? 

20So 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. 21Jesus 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 him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:20 – 24 (NIV)

Mark 9:20-24 always gives me somewhat of a kneejerk when I read it. When the man says, “But “if” you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.  I’ve always imagined Jesus looking directly into the man’s eyes and raising his voice a little  saying, “IF YOU CAN”? ‘IF YOU CAN?” “DID YOU JUST SAY IF I CAN?”  (My paraphrase) And then He says, “Everything is possible for him who believes.  I am guilty myself of saying , “well, if God answers my prayers or if God does that.”  I know I “should” be saying, “God can do that”.   I’m not talking about the “name it  and   claim it” theology because I’ve been a little misled by that in the past myself. Believing God is not about sensationalism.  We must make sure our motives are pure before God.  But going back to disbelief, why do we always put  the word “if” before God’s name? Is it that  we don’t  feel worthy or we think we are being humble if we say” if”?  Do we feel we might be bothering  God? Or do we truly just not believe? It  is right there in the  “red words” of Jesus.  Jesus said “everything is possible for him who believes.” Believes what? I think the what is: ” Believe God”.  I am a true believer on standing on the Word and meditating on it and saying it out loud, putting my name in place of the pronoun such as  “Everything is possible for Char who believes” but what is blocking me from really really getting “believing God”?  Is there someone or something popping up in my mind that is trying to right away negate the Word I just spoke or read?  Why does that “but” immediately descend upon me like a vulture?  In a world where we want it and we want it now we want to make God a “fast answer God” (like fast food) We are impatient. If we don’t get our prayers answered right away immediately we either think something is wrong with us or God doesn’t care about our little old needs. I have something going on right now where I am going back and forth and wavering about how God will participate in this part of  my life. But the other day I saw something that told me God was right on time–His time–not mine. Why did I not believe? I must “be anxious for nothing”.  It breaks my heart to think I may be living with unbelief and I pray God will show me the things I can do or get rid of  to  “help my unbelief”.

Lord, you know my heart and the desires of my heart. Help me Lord to dispel the things that are getting in my way, the obstacles, that cause me to doubt and live with unbelief. In Jesus’ name. Amen