Listen:
“Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!'” (Mark 9:24)
Reflect:
Believe.
What we believe affects what we do. Mark 9 used to vex me, Did he believe, this boy’s father? Did he not? In my youth I had clear lines of right vs wrong, faith vs doubt, in other words, I was judge-y and arrogant, sure that I had answers.
Thankfully, Jesus did not leave me there.
There, a crowd gathered around a boy without speech, thrown into fire and water by an evil spirit. His father despaired as even Jesus’ disciples could not help, though they had healed others and casted out evil spirits in Jesus’ name.
Jesus rebuked first his disciples, calling them faithless. Feels a bit unfair. They have tried, haven’t they? Jesus then spoke to the father, who expressed doubt, “please help if you can”, he said, and Jesus rebuked him too, “If I can? Anything is possible, if the person believes!” Then the father bared his heart, and asked for help to overcome unbelief.
I feel for the father, now with children of my own. So much is out of my control, in my life and in theirs. Sometimes it seems my faith is not enough. How can Jesus help my unbelief?
There, Jesus set the boy free, despite the father’s doubt. Later, He told his disciples, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.”
Prayer.
Do we believe in prayer, in the One we pray to? Prayer takes time and effort. Maybe the disciples took what they did in His name for granted and no longer prayed. Maybe Jesus rebuked them for the crowd’s sake, there not to seek truth but spectacle, or for the religious leaders amongst them, who knew God and His laws yet did not heal nor help. Let us pray, that by His power, we may set others free.
Prayer of Response:
Thank you Father, for your son Jesus, who came to heal and set us free. Now by the power of your Holy Spirit, help me in my unbelief. Where I see illness or oppression, help me persist in praying for healing and mercy. Thank you that I can bare my heart to you like that boy’s father, and you will never turn away. May your perfect love cast out fear, and restore faith, amen.
Questions to Ponder:
- Take some time to remember a time when belief was certain, when you had witnessed Jesus healing and casting out evil spirits, or He had healed through you. Write one story down.
- Do you feel the Spirit prompting you somewhere with this memory? Is there a place of current doubt where He is asking you to plant faith instead? Write a prayer or choose a song, to help you pray-plant a seed of faith this week, and write this down, in memory of the beginning of a setting free.
—Submitted by Kay Ting Trouilloud
Kae lives in Lyon, France with her husband and three children, and is thankful for Jesus who helps her believe when she is doubtful with unbelief. She looks forward with great expectations and gladness, walking alongside the Lifesprings community. Please pray onwards for Lifesprings France, Lifesprings UK and satellite Greece, following the 2021-2023 school in Lyon. May all involved continue to pray-plant seeds of faith and healing, that by Jesus’ name others may be set free, towards peace and mercy.
(Here is an old framed photo of me with my first born where I had to lean hard on Christ for faith)