A Restoration of Faith

“…but if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.

‘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 9:22-24

I have always identified with this father’s prayer. ‘Help my unbelief!’ captures so many things — the desire to be better, the sincere wish for more faith, acknowledgment of the problem of lack of faith, and so much more. The boy’s father was likely speaking from a place of desperation. His son had been sick for a while, and they had probably tried many different things to help the boy. When he heard about Jesus, his attitude of resignation was coming from a place of ‘Why not? We’ve tried a million other things, why not God?'

How often that is our response to Jesus. Lackluster, uninspired, or straight up desperate. We’ve tried so many other things, we figure we might as well try prayer. At the very least, it can’t hurt.

And yet the very first thing Jesus called this man out on was his lack of faith. When Jesus challenged him on his attitude, he immediately saw the error of his thinking and made a declaration of faith. Under all the hopelessness, under the jadedness, right under the surface, actually, was a living, vibrant faith that made a resurgence when the man was face-to-face with his Savior.

So often we approach God from a place of resignation or fear, or simply are afraid of being hurt or disappointed one more time. Pray today that father’s simple prayer: ‘Lord, help my unbelief!’ Trust that God is faithful to bring to you a restoration of your faith; know that it is the very first place He will start.