Belief and Unbelief

I heard an inspiring story about Christian faith in the midst of obstacles.  A woman had recently been diagnosed with a serious illness.  Friends, family and loved ones offered their pity, expressing their sympathies about the difficult circumstances.  Time and time again, the woman responded the same way.  She said, “Well, I know what I believe.  Now it is time for me to believe what I know.”  In other words, the woman understood her Christian belief in theory, but real life hardship would give her an opportunity to mature in her belief.

Many times, we think of belief as something we have or we don’t.   But, that woman seemed to think that belief matures over time, as the Lord leads us through the ups and downs of life.  Practicing trust/faith/belief in Christ, especially during hard times deepens our trust/faith/belief in Christ.

That makes sense.  Jesus Himself helped people grow in their belief.  In Mark 9, Jesus heals a boy possessed by an impure spirit, stressing the importance of belief.  The boy’s father insists, “I believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”  Though the father believes Jesus can heal, he asks for help to grow in belief.  Jesus deepens and enlivens belief  in those who believe, but also earnestly want to believe more.

As you go through the coming week, pray and ask Jesus to deepen your faith.  Ask the Lord, “Help me in my unbelief.”  As you do, the Lord will meet you right where you are.  And, the Lord will empower you in believing what you know.