Now that is a sentence we would not say out loud, but let's be honest. There are times when we just don’t believe that God could intervene in our lives, or in the life of another and, while we want to believe, our belief is meager. 

Before you feel bad about that, we all struggle with this because in our humanity we cannot fully understand His divinity. We live in time, God lives in eternity having always been and always will be. There are many things we cannot do but there is nothing He cannot do. In fact, as a creature of the creator, we cannot fully comprehend the ability of the creator to create something new out of something old, or from nothing at all, but that is what a creator does. As Scripture says, He is the potter, and we are the clay. So do we fully believe that God can intervene in our lives? We want to but it's not always easy.

There is an account in the Gospel of Mark where we see this played out.

A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered.  “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. Mark 9:17-27.

I love the honesty of this father who brings his son to Jesus for healing. He says to Jesus, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” Jesus responds “If you can? Everything is possible for one who believes.” Then he says to Jesus this honest statement. “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.”

Don’t be ashamed to pray that prayer when you need to: Jesus help me overcome my unbelief. Like this man, we often believe to a point. But we can always ask Him to help us in our unbelief. That is a prayer we ought to pray more often.

Father. I believe but help me with my unbelief. Amen