A Father's Freedom
"I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" - Mark 9:24
This is a verse I am very familiar with and one that I pray to the lord often. It was uttered by a father who was desperate for help and healing on behalf of his son's long suffering. I have no idea the journey this father and son have been on up to this point. How many times they may have traveled to the temple hoping this time the priests might be able to help. I do not know how many prayers were lifted up and tears were shed pleading for healing and freedom from this demonic affliction. I have no idea when the flame of hope was snuffed out, as often can be the case when suffering is long endured and hope seems to disappear with the setting sun.
What I do know is that this father heard of a man, Jesus, who was healing those who could not be healed and, just as the dawn returns every morning, a flicker of hope began to warm within him again. He sought out the only one left who could help. After another disappointed failed attempt to heal his son by the disciples, Jesus finally shows up and the desperate-barely clinging faith of this father is seen, "if you can do anything, help us." The father speaks this from his broken and all-too often let down heart. I love Jesus response, "If you can?" He challenges the father to look deeper within himself. Others have left this man feeling helpless and hopeless but there is a reason he sought Jesus out, there was a hope he felt in bringing his son to Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes", Jesus finishes his challenging response.
This is when we get to the verse we started with, the one the father speaks:
"I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!". This father is saying he does have faith but it is not as strong as it should be, as it perhaps once was. He makes a plea on his own behalf; "help my unbelief, help my faith to grow, help me to trust you, help me to have eyes that stay focused on you!" He needs Jesus to be his guide back to a deeper faith.
This story has a freedom ending but not just for the son whom Jesus healed and freed from any possible future demonic possessions. The father, as well, begins his journey to freedom in his faith from unbelief and doubt.
The reason I pray this verse is because I too can struggle at times with unbelief, with a weak faith. I have my own long suffering afflictions that can and have weakened my faith. My family and friends also have times of struggle that burden my heart. Very often, like King David in our Psalm today, my soul is downcast and my faith limping along. But I am not without hope! I have the gift of prayer, a direct line to my God who is faithful to hear me and to draw me to him. I can seek my God for guidance and to bring about the healing I need, the strengthening of my faith and the faith of those I love.
I would like to leave you with this example of how we can pray a few of these verse back to the Lord and in doing so help begin (or continue) the process of growing our faith:
Lord, my soul can be downcast within me when the struggles and afflictions of my life and the lives of those I love and care about seem to continue on. As time goes on I can feel my faith beginning to lag behind me and I feel to weak to carry it because the weight of disappointment and fear drags me down. I know this is not where you call me to be. Help me lord to see beyond the long suffering, beyond the burden, beyond the weakness and disappointments. Help me lord with my unbelief, with my weakening faith. Send forth your light and your truth Lord; let them be a guide to me that brings me closer to you, into a deeper relationship and understanding of who you are. Let me meet you where you are and may my faith be made strong again. May you be my joy and my delight in place of my downcast spirit. My hope is in you my God and my Savior. - AMEN
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