19Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” 20So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. 21“How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” 23“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” 24The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:19-24 (NLT)
“I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief.” What an odd thing to say—but what an even stranger way to feel. Can you imagine? Jesus has stepped into your situation and has agreed to help—to heal the child who has suffered—who YOU have watched suffer—his entire life. You have prayed. You have begged God to take away the suffering; but to this point the answer has been, “no.” All of a sudden, however, Jesus chooses to step in. Do you think that you would, at that point, also say to Jesus, “if you can?” Do you think, at that point, you might also question your faith? It sounds outrageous but after all of the denial, after watching your child suffer all of those years; how do you think you would handle it? I have not watched a loved one suffer for the entirety of their life; but I have watched people that I love suffer and die. I have, over the course of a twenty-four hour period, changed from praying for quick healing to praying for a quick passing. I have been denied, more often than not, on both accounts. I have indeed cried out to my God, “I do believe but help me overcome my unbelief!”
“I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief.” What an odd thing to say—but what an even stranger way to feel. Can you imagine? Jesus has stepped into your situation and has agreed to help—to heal the child who has suffered—who YOU have watched suffer—his entire life. You have prayed. You have begged God to take away the suffering; but to this point the answer has been, “no.” All of a sudden, however, Jesus chooses to step in. Do you think that you would, at that point, also say to Jesus, “if you can?” Do you think, at that point, you might also question your faith? It sounds outrageous but after all of the denial, after watching your child suffer all of those years; how do you think you would handle it? I have not watched a loved one suffer for the entirety of their life; but I have watched people that I love suffer and die. I have, over the course of a twenty-four hour period, changed from praying for quick healing to praying for a quick passing. I have been denied, more often than not, on both accounts. I have indeed cried out to my God, “I do believe but help me overcome my unbelief!”
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