At the ripe old age of 63 I find myself at times struggling with life’s circumstances that seem to be beyond my understanding. More and more my quiet question to God revolves around the little word ‘why?’- not least of all in this unsettling time of pandemic- and the expression found in the story of a man whose son was eventually healed by Jesus is one I am becoming all too familiar with ..“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark Ch9)
Christians know what the Bible says, and we do trust God to take care of and direct our lives, but sometimes we are faced with something that seems to overpower our faith. We don’t seem to have enough faith to follow Him in that moment, so we ask for more faith. We acknowledge that even our faith comes from God. It is His work in our lives that enables us to trust and obey.
As always, we can ask for what we need. When we doubt, we can ask for more faith. When we are wavering in our resolve to follow, we can ask for more resolve. When we are unwilling to obey, we can ask to be made willing. As believers, we know that our faith and obedience are always deficient, and we frequently ask God to enable us to live the life that pleases God. If left to our own strength and our own faith, we would never make it.
….. and so “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief” is an admission that I am very much a work in progress – and I am certain that I am not alone in this!
In recent weeks I have reached out in my unsettlement and God has encouraged me through the writings of Nick Fawcett in his book entitled ‘For Such a Time as This’ – a series of prayers that have been so inciteful as each day has begun – let me end by sharing one with you for your encouragement too.
Putting our trust in God rather than ourselves
We thought we were in charge of our destiny, Lord; that we had all the answers, all the solutions to our problems, nothing being beyond our wit to solve. And no doubt in time we will beat this virus, as we have beaten many others, human ingenuity triumphing again over adversity.
But this crisis of recent months has reminded us that we’re not quite so much in control as we like to imagine; that life is less secure, less certain than we sometimes think, and that much of what we take for granted can be swept away in an instant.
Help us to recognise our limitations as well as our achievements, our vulnerability as well as our strengths, and may we find in You one whose promises endure beyond the changes and chances of this fleeting world, enfolding us, and all things, in Your eternal and unchanging love.
Amen.
May God help us to believe and overcome our times of unbelief as we live for Him.
Paul Taylor – Pastoral Worker for The Hope Trust