By: Kason Dietz

Scripture Text: 

17A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18Whenever 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.”

19“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.”

20So 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.

21Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. 22“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.”

23“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

24Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

25When 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.”

26The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

Devotional:

John Mayer has a song called “Belief” that starts off like this:

 “Is there anyone who

Ever remembers changing their mind from

The paint on a sign

Is there anyone who really recalls

Ever breaking rank at all

For something someone yelled real loud one time”

This song is Mayer’s treatise on why we should stop fighting to get others to believe what we believe and instead focus on love and acceptance. I’m a huge fan of John Mayer’s playing but not so much of his philosophy, and it differs sharply from that of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was fighting for belief in those who followed him and those who approached him for healing. 

I don’t know about you, but most days I feel like I’m fighting for belief inside my own heart and mind. I believe that this is why it’s so important that this man in Mark 9 says “I do believe:; help me overcome my unbelief.” He is so aware that with everything inside of him he wants to believe, but maybe his mind and heart were at war. Most mornings the first words out of my mouth are “Jesus, help me.” and usually, the next words that come out of me are “I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief.” 

Jesus was not daunted by the war inside this man, instead He cast out the unclean spirit on the spot. 

Jesus is not put off that you need to fight for your belief.  Faith, in many senses, is a war inside you between what seems to be and what should be. We are called to make war for what should be; a world that is “on earth as it is in heaven.” Jesus is waiting for you to be ready to make the step from wishing things could be different, to knowing that things will be done according to his will. Today, I challenge you to let Jesus stir up your belief both in Him and that He is powerful enough to accomplish anything you ask in His name.

If that seems outlandish, maybe you just need a little belief. 

Response/Prayer: 

Father, today help me to rise above what is and believe for what can be. Please, help me to put doubt aside and believe your word. I confess that I need help believing for your will to be done in my life, so would you search my heart and show me what mindsets and attitudes of my heart need to be changed. I pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.