Mark 9:14-29

"When they came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him. And He asked them, “What are you discussing with them?” And one of the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.” He answered them and said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!” They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!”And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.” After crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that they said, “He is dead!” But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up. When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, “Why could we not drive it out?” And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”"

Recently we covered this verse in my bible study and I wasn't incredibly moved by it and honestly was a little confused as to why it was even being covered - What did I have in common with a possessed little boy and his despairing father?

However, upon further reflection I began to see connections to my own life and just how much this story actually did relate to me now. The one verse that really stood out to me was when the father told Jesus, "I do believe; help my unbelief!" Take a moment now and think about all those times where you haven't believed. Not believing doesn't mean that you've lost all your faith, but perhaps you spent many weeks worrying about an outcome - In that time, you stopped believing that God has great "plans to prosper you" (Jeremiah 29:11) in the future. Maybe there was a time that you had a big assessment coming up, perhaps an audition, an exam, a work evaluation, and before going in your told yourself "I can't do this"; at that point, you stopped believing in the abilities and capabilities of one of God's most beautiful creations: you. 

Everyone has their times of disbelief or times where perhaps they stop believing in just a small part of God (His plan, creation, etc) and it's in those times that we can turn to Him and say "Lord, I do believe in You, help the part of me that doesn't!" and be just as this father was. And a perfect place to turn to Him is in prayer. 

I think that was the other reason I came to enjoy this passage - The answer to the problem is right in the passage! Jesus told his disciples that "This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer." Although at this point Jesus is speaking of the demon not being able to be driven out by anything but prayer, if we think of our moments of disbelief as reoccurring demons, trying to kill our spirit and muting our mouths to praises to the Lord, it all comes together.  

If you're struggling with one of these "demons" I encourage you to spend some time with God in prayer, maybe consider a Jesus Date as I mentioned in a previous blog post, and use the struggle as a chance to grow deeper in your faith. As Jesus told his disciples, these demons can only be driven out and overcome by prayer.

Each of us is like the father and son, combined. We battle our own demons, big or small, and have moments where our faith may waver, but in those times we can always turn to our Father above to help drive out those doubts through prayer.

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. God bless!