God’s Hope for Your Heart from Mark 9
JESUS MEETS YOU WHERE YOU ARE
Someone from the crowd answered [Jesus], “Teacher, I bought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able… And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:17-18, 22-24)
Notice what Jesus doesn’t do in this situation.
He doesn’t criticize the man for his lack of belief, He simply highlights it to create an opportunity for growth. He doesn’t tell the man, “If you don’t do your part, I can’t do mine,” and leave him stranded in his condition because he had unbelief in his life.
In fact, Jesus doesn’t even tell the man that first he must muster up more belief and then Jesus will heal his son; Jesus simply heals the boy and lets them go on their way.
Yes, this man struggled with unbelief, but don’t we all do the same sometimes? Yes, Jesus told this man “all things are possible for one who believes,” but He didn’t say that nothing is possible for the one who tries but just isn’t quite there yet.
That’s good news.
If you find yourself wrestling with unbelief and wishing you had just a little more faith, relax. Yes, Jesus wants you to believe in His power, but He also wants you to rest in His peace.
When you come to God in prayer, don’t fret if you’re full of mixed emotions. Bring them all to Jesus and trust Him to heal your heart and grow your faith. As you do, you’ll discover the hope that’s found in this life-changing truth: Jesus meets you where you are.
-Pastor Phillip
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