Do You Ever Have Doubts? Mark 9:14-29

Text: Mark 9:14-29

Do you ever have doubts?

Doubts, perhaps, about God, perhaps, or Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. Or maybe your own salvation, or that of someone you love.

Some days you believe without reservation, but other days you struggle.

What do you do on those days?

You may not discuss it, at least not openly, fearing that other Christians will question your faithfulness or doubt your integrity.

If you were a good Christian, Satan whispers, you wouldn’t have doubts. Ever.

Which isn’t even close to the truth.

I love the story of a father whose son was possessed by a demon. In desperation he brought the boy to the Lord’s disciples, but they couldn’t help.

Jesus could, of course, and he did, but not before he engaged the man in a short dialogue.

Please read with me and reflect on this story, particularly notice the conversation between Jesus and the worried father:

Read Mark 9:14-29

We have no idea what this man’s background was, but I’m encouraged by his honest response to the Lord’s mild rebuke:

Lord, I believe; help my unbelief! – Mark 9:24

That’s something I’ve asked the Lord many times.

On the surface it sounds contradictory, but it’s not.

As one commentator writes, it’s been the “frequent experience of disciples of all times” (J.A. Brooks).

We believe, but that faith is sometimes (often?) tinged by doubt.  We hope, but that hope is sometimes dampened by uncertainty.

If you doubt, it means you’re in the flesh and therefore fallible.  In a place where we all live, at least for now.

It doesn’t mean you’re a skeptic or an agnostic or that you’re weak.

It means you live on this side of that final day.

Don’t lose heart.  Strengthen your faith… pray what this boy’s father prayed.

Ask the Lord to strengthen your faith and shine his light into the dark corners of doubt.

Do you believe?

Of course you do.

Now ask the Lord to start working on those areas of uncertainty. He still answers those prayers today.