“A man in the crowd answered, ‘Teacher, I brought you my son. He is possessed by a spirit that won’t let him talk. Whenever the spirit brings on a seizure, it throws him to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes exhausted.’ . . . Jesus asked his father, ‘How long has he been like this?’ The father replied, ‘He has been this way since he was a child. The demon has often thrown him into fire or into water to destroy him. If it’s possible for you, put yourself in our place, and help us!’ Jesus said to him, ‘As far as possibilities go, everything is possible for the person who believes.’ The child’s father cried out at once, ‘I believe! Help my lack of faith’” (Mark 9:17, 18, 21-24).
Those last couple of sentences are confusing, aren’t they? The dad said, “I believe.” Then he immediately added, “But I have a lack of faith.” How could he believe and not believe all at the same time?
Wait, aren’t we kind of like that dad? When you think about your faith, I bet you believe and have a lack of faith all at the same time too.
You believe God is real, yet because you can’t see him, you wonder if he’s really there. You believe that Jesus took away your sins, yet you still don’t feel loved. You know the Holy Spirit lives inside of you, but you are afraid to share your faith because you don’t want people to think you’re a dork.
How does Jesus help you overcome your lack of faith? Read your Bible to see what your Jesus has done for you. Read it again and again. Pray for a stronger faith, for wisdom to believe God’s plan, and for courage to stand against Satan—who wants you to not believe at all.
