Help My Unbelief

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded in all they do." -James 1:5-8

The part of this I want to focus on is that when we ask, we must believe and not doubt. While this verse is addressing asking for wisdom, I think believing and not doubting goes for anything we ask of God. And there are two different ways we must believe when we ask Him for things or to do things.

The first way we must believe is believing He is able. Sometimes we can find ourselves asking for things, not really believing He is able to do it, but more just hoping He can. Anything and everything you ask of Him, He is able! It's not a question of His ability, but His willingness. He can do whatever you desire, but will He? That's an entirely different question. But sometimes, all He wants us to do is believe that He is able. I've found myself a few times coming to Him thinking my problem or circumstance was far beyond His ability. The reality is that all we go through in our lifetime, every single thing He is perfectly equipped to handle. And the beauty of it is that before you even get into a circumstance, He already knows the outcome. But believing He is able MATTERS. I'm reminded of the possessed boy's father in Mark 9.

A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

-Mark 9:17-24

Believing matters. Jesus called them an unbelieving generation and then questioned how long He should stay. Later, the boys father uses the word "if you can." Jesus responds questioning that part of his sentence and telling him "everything is possible for the one who believes." Belief opens possibility. How often are we the boy's father? How often do we say God, if you can? If You're able? He can. He's able. Start believing your God is big enough and your situation isn't bigger than Him.

So, the first thing we must believe is that He's able. The second is more difficult. We must also believe that whatever He does is good and is for my protection. Often times, we ask for things or Him to do something and He doesn't, and we think He failed. It's not at all that He failed, it's that He knows what you need and values that over what you want. Our desires can and will lead us astray. When our plan we wanted to work out so badly fails, it's His greatest act of love, protection, and grace. It's not just our plan failed, it's that His plan fell into place. While in the moment, that's hard to be joyful about and see the beauty of, it really is such a special moment. It's so humbling and transformational. And when we look back, we can usually see how much He saved us from by not letting us get what we wanted.

When we ask, we must believe, and not doubt. Believe He is able and believe that whatever the outcome is, He is protecting you and choosing what will bring you the most good and Him the most glory!

Let us be in a constant state of the father in Mark 9... "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief."