Tag Archives: unbelief

Beliefs~Day 6~Write 28 Day Challenge

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Day 6: Beliefs
Singing My Way Through Write 28 Days
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“So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.” Romans 10:17 (NLT)

I Believe, But…

“Thou has said to walk on water
But I stumble in the sand
Oh, to run and not grow weary
Jesus come and hold my hand

For I believe, yes I believe
Please help my unbelief
For I believe, yes I believe
Oh, Lord
Please help my unbelief”
~Jeff Berry Band~

There are situations in the Bible that I can’t or don’t want to picture myself in. Ones like offering my long awaited, only child as a sacrifice to God or stepping unwavering into a fiery furnace. However, some moments captured by the writers of the Word seem to be stories taken from my own life. 

This is a familiar encounter in which Peter and I have much in common:

“Then Peter called to him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ ‘Yes, come,’ Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. ‘Save me, Lord!’ he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. ‘You have so little faith,’ Jesus said. ‘Why did you doubt me:’”
Matthew 14:28-31 (NLT)

And then, there’s the concerned father:

“‘How long has this been happening?’ Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, ‘Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.’ ‘What do you mean, If I can?’ Jesus asked. ‘Anything is possible if a person believes.’ The father instantly cried out, ‘I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!’”
Mark 9:21-24 (NLT)

Peter and the boy’s father knew just what to do in their situations. They went to Jesus. I do the same but unfortunately, I also share their belief problem. Way too often I, like Peter, take my eyes off of Jesus and focus instead on my circumstances and feelings, losing my footing as my faith takes a plunge. Or, when life throws me here and there I ask Jesus for help knowing He’s the only One who can, and yet find myself wondering if there really is anything He can do. 

“You have so little faith. Why do you doubt me? What do you mean, if I can?”

And I cry out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

I wish those words didn’t live in me anymore and I’m not sure how long it will take until they don’t. But this I do know, we have to keep “climbing over the side of the boat” to get to Jesus. Look, He doesn’t leave Peter drowning in his doubt, rather, He reaches out for him. And He doesn’t quit on the questioning father, but heals his son instead. The same is true for you and me. When we “stumble in the sand” rather than walk on water, we can take all our doubts, questions, and yes even our unbeliefs to Jesus. He didn’t give up on them, the other disciples, “Doubting” Thomas, or any of those He encountered that needed help overcoming their unbelief. And the Good News is, He won’t give up on us, either. 

“Promise me Thou won’t forsake me
For my life depends on Thee
Engrave it on my heart reminding
That Your truth has set me free

Thou art great and full of light
That no eye can yet unreel
Please give to me only through your might
A heart that longs to kneel

For I believe, yes I believe
Please help my unbelief
For I believe, yes I believe
Oh, Lord
Please help my unbelief
~Jeff Berry Band~ 

Encourage ~ Day 7 ~ 31 Day Writing Challenge

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“For I will refresh the weary soul and replenish all who are weak.” Jeremiah 31:25 (BSB)


Encourage

We’ve all seen them and if you’re like me you can look around and see one right now. I’m talking about the mugs, calendars, signs, candles, and more, that are adorned with familiar Bible verses.  “Be still and know that I am God” is lit up right across from me as I type this. These are verses we cling to and have memorized. They give us hope. We turn to them for comfort. Believe me, I’m speaking from experience! In the last months I don’t know how many times I’ve repeated “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

But, I’ve felt anything but strong as we’ve navigated through a devastating health emergency with our grandson. Remembering well-loved verses certainly helped me through my days, but it’s actually been scripture of a different kind, a verse of weakness, that’s encouraged me the most lately. Read these words spoken by a desperate father who brought his son to Jesus:

“The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
Mark 9:24 (NLT)

Honestly, I think I’ve lamented about needing help with my unbelief more than any other verse in recent weeks. How is a verse about a lack of faith encouraging you ask? Because I’ve been there. You too? Wavering faith, like mine and maybe yours, is what prompted this Father’s words, but they weren’t offered up to the Heavens as mine have been, they were spoken directly to Jesus. Think about that. Even knowing all Jesus could do (like we do), He, standing face to face, let his lacking pour out directly to the Son of God!  And how did Jesus responded? He finished what he’d started with the man’s son.

Jesus didn’t abandon them or reprimand the father for needing help to believe. He didn’t say come back when you have it all together or that he had to be further along in his faith journey to experience Jesus.  That my friends, is what reassures me; that in our weakness, Jesus won’t leave us on our own, stranded in our lacking, either. 

Often when our strength is gone there’s another common go-to verse:

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’” Matthew 11:28 (NLT)

We often stop there but Jesus doesn’t. He continues in verse 29 to say:

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” 

I plead, “Help me in my unbelief.” “Let me teach you,” He says. “Put it down. Learn from Me.” Jesus doesn’t expect us to be spiritually strong all the time. He knows there’s much we still need to know. Instead, He encourages us to come to Him directly, pouring out our unbelief and everything else that leaves us spiritually weary. And then, we can rest in the promise that Jesus, who began a good work in each of us, will continue until He finishes what He’s started. Worth repeating, don’t you think?