Help me overcome my unbelief

"' ... But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us' ... 'If you can'? said Jesus. 'Everything is possible for the one who believes.' ... 'I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" - Mark 9:22-24

" 'Why couldn't we drive it out?' ... 'This kind can come out only by prayer.' " - Mark 9:28-29

Many times we get used to the normal. Normal is getting by. Getting by what's there and existing. Getting used to our limps and crutches. We used to believe that God will take them away, but "I've been asking for awhile and the answer hasn't come yet.". So we take on a new notion that it's something that will be permanent, something that we should deal with from day to day. And our prayers become something like, "If you [God] can do anything ... help us." Two things are revealed from the father's prayer: First his lack of faith, seeing his son suffer this sickness "from childhood" made him believe that perhaps God can't do anything about it. One pastor says, "So small a prayer might be an insult to God." We must be reminded that God is sovereign--He know's what He is doing ... and God is all powerful--He is able to do anything. Yes, anything. Second observation is that this father lacked faith in themselves. He thought his family's circumstance is too small to be dealt with by an Almighty God. "If you can do anything ..." is like saying ... "Well, if you have spare time, but if I'm interrupting it's fine." How many times we pray prayers like that as if God had something better to do, more important to do. But God is more than willing to hear us and meet our need. Experiencing God tells us the beauty of serving our God. He is sovereign (He knows what he's doing), He is all-powerful (He can do anything) and He is Love ... God is Love. He does what's best for us and for His glory. Imagine that, a God who can do everything and He's on our side and He knows what He's doing.

"Everything is possible for one who believes." Everything is possible, that's the promise of Jesus himself. Impossible does not exist in God's vocabulary! Imagine what opportunities are open to a child of God. But this promise has a premise: "for one who believes." "One" can mean anyone. Jesus does not say "a child of God" or "the faithful". But it's an invitation for anyone to come and believe. Yes, even the worst of sinners and the unreligious. This invitation to believe the impossible is for everyone. The main ingredient is belief--or faith. Faith in what or to whom? Faith that God can and that He will. "Without faith it is impossible to please God." "Faith can move mountains."

What is the main ingredient of your prayers lately? Is it full of faith or a recitation or duty? God longs to share an intimate conversation with us. Like a parent longing to hear a young child's exploits after a day's work, God longs to hear our exploits, our victories and even our failures. When we ask, He won't say, "let's set an appointment for that," or "let me check my schedule." "Would a father give his son a snake when he asks for an egg? ..." His promise, "If fathers would know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more will our heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."

Let it be the father's response be our response and prayer. "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Let us return once again to this child-like faith and trust to God and say, "Yes, Lord, I believe." God help me overcome my lack of faith--Ultimately it is God who will draw us to himself to know Him and trust Him.