I believe, help me with my unbelief - by Elizabeth Reynolds
Some people think that faith means a lack, or absence of doubt. But a passage in the Bible suggests otherwise. It is Mark 9:14-27 – when Jesus is approached by a man with a demon-possessed son, and this man hopes that Jesus can heal him. Jesus says that all things are possible to those who believe. And the man’s response is, “I believe. But would you help me with my unbelief.”
Clearly you can believe, and unbelieve at the same time. Can you relate to this experience?
Lee Strobels shares this passage in his book The Case for Faith and he states that you can have doubts even when you believe. In fact – where there are absolutely no questions, there probably can’t be a healthy faith!
Faith, like love, like obedience, like many things, is a choice. When you step into a relationship of any kind, you make a choice to take a step of faith in entering that relationship. Even though you don’t have all the answers – you can’t know every single thing about that person or what will happen in the future – you have enough evidence or knowledge and a will to enter that relationship. Lee Strobels suggests that it is not a matter of whether there is enough evidence though. He firmly states that people either have a will to believe or a will not to believe. In fact, one definition of faith is the will to believe. There is a difference between doubting, and simply a refusal to believe. The opposite of faith is NOT doubt. The opposite of faith is unbelief, which is a wilful refusal to believe or a deliberate decision to disobey God.
It was his personal experience to have so many questions and doubts about the Christian faith. But it wasn’t until he took a step of faith into the relationship that he found more and more evidence to be certain of. For instance, the Bible tell sus it’s more blessed to give than to receive. Strobels retells a conversation he had where a friend of his Lyn Anderson said, “Well, a thousand debates won’t prove it. But when you become generous, you’ll realise that Jesus spoke the truth.”
Psalm 34:8 says “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” The more you do this, the more you’ll experience what faith is all about.
Do you have questions? Are you having doubts about God or your relationship with Him or parts of the Bible? My encouragement to you is this. This does not mean you cannot be a believer. Don’t be deceived into thinking that you can’t tap into the wonders of God and a relationship with Him because you have a few questions or reservations. Doubt is NOT the opposite of faith. Faith is a will to believe. Press into God, and you will taste that He is good. Don’t wait for all the mysteries to make sense – because they just won’t and you’ll be waiting forever. The book of Psalms is full of the doubts and questions of faithful believers!
God longs for the connection with you that comes from questioning, probing, and seeking Him.