Do you believe what God says to you? Yes. We believe, but, as the person begs of Jesus on behalf of his son, “Help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). The story behind the verse:

After the boy’s father further explained his son’s condition, he said to Jesus, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us”. Jesus assured the man that “everything is possible for one who believes”. “Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’” (https://www.gotquestions.org/I-believe-help-my-unbelief.html)

Prodigal child

Job loss

Diagnosis

One more financial hit

Loss of loved one

Invading thoughts of fear, anxiety, restlessness, hopelessness

We come to Jesus and cry out, “Help us!” We read His Word and He proclaims “Everything is possible for one who believes”.

My beautiful friend do you ever want to exclaim, “I do believe with all my heart, but, Jesus, this has dragged on, and I can’t see the purpose, the light at the end of the tunnel, and, well, help my unbelief!”

The hardest thing to understand this side of heaven is that His answers don’t look like ours, His timing is not ours, and we often miss His glory because we are begging for what we think it should be. I want complete healing, a child to return to Jesus and to home, a financial recovery. I want to never think those thoughts again, to feel confident in the storm, and to trust when trust is hard. Within this feeble attempt to be God and take control of the universe and everyone’s story, including mine, lies the unbelief.

If  I believe hard enough would Jesus finally see how I think it should turn out? I’m literally laughing out loud at this thought revealed on paper. In no way do I minimize pain and hurt. It’s real in your story. However, the unbelief comes when we can’t see His Glory in each moment of Him working it out in His way. A total mind-shift.

For me it sounds like this:

Jesus, I thank you for the conflict in this relationship. You are showing me and bringing forth hurts so we can talk it out, heal, and forgive. Lord, we are still hurting, but I see you working.

How does it sound to you? How do you see God’s glory in the hard?

I am writing and listening to worship music. This was a suggestion from my friend Laura. Each line I write, God’s healing presence is flooding through the songs. Listen to this song that rang out after the question about God’s glory!

Waking up to a new sunrise
Looking back from the other side
I can see now with open eyes
Darkest water and deepest pain
I wouldn’t trade it for anything
‘Cause my brokenness brought me to You
And these wounds are a story You’ll use

So I’m thankful for the scars
‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know Your heart
And I know they’ll always tell of who You are
So forever I am thankful for the scars

Now I’m standing in confidence
With the strength of Your faithfulness
And I’m not who I was before
No, I don’t have to fear anymore

(Scars lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Essential Music Publishing)