LOW BATTERY FAITH

From Mark 9:24 we read, “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”

LOW BATTERY FAITH. Have you ever looked down at your phone and seen that little red battery light flashing 2%? The phone still works. It hasn’t shut off, but you stop using as much until you can get to a charger. You dim the screen, close all your apps, and immediately start looking for a charger because you know it doesn’t have enough power to keep going much longer. Sometimes our faith feels that way. We still believe God. We still pray. We still come to church. But after an unexpected diagnosis from the doctor, an unanswered prayer, a financial setback, or a family heartache, our faith feels like it’s running on 2%. We know God is able, yet if we’re honest, we’re struggling. If you’ve ever felt that way, you’re in good company. The man in our verse for today was a desperate father. His son was possessed by an evil spirit, and he had tried everything he knew to do. He had even brought his son to Jesus’ disciples, but they couldn’t help him. Can you imagine how discouraged he must have been? After all that effort, he was still watching his son suffer. Then Jesus said, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” Immediately the father cried out through his tears, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” I love that prayer because it’s so honest. He wasn’t pretending to have perfect faith. He believed, but he also admitted there was a battle going on inside him. Faith and doubt were wrestling in his heart at the same time. And instead of scolding him for weak faith, Jesus rewarded his honesty and healed his son.
HONEST FAITH IS BETTER THAN PRETEND FAITH. Sometimes we think we have to act like we’ve got it all together when we come to God. We try to sound spiritual. We try to hide our fears and doubts. But who are we fooling? God already knows every anxious thought, every question, and every fear we’ve been carrying around. God isn’t looking for flowery prayers or flawless faith. He’s looking for honest hearts. He can do far more with someone who says, “Lord, I’m struggling,” than with someone who pretends everything is fine. I heard about a little boy learning to ride his bicycle without training wheels. His dad ran behind him with one hand on the seat. After a few seconds the little boy yelled, “Dad…don’t let go!” His father smiled and said, “Son…I already did.” The boy had been riding by himself for several yards and didn’t even know it. Aren’t we like that sometimes? We think we’re barely hanging on, only to discover that God has been holding us up all along.
WEAK FAITH IS STILL FAITH. Jesus once compared faith to a grain of mustard seed. It doesn’t take mountain-sized faith to trust a mountain-moving God. Think about a flashlight with weak batteries. It doesn’t shine as brightly as it once did, but it still gives enough light to help you find your way. That’s what weak faith does. It may not feel strong. It may not feel like much. But it still points us to Jesus. The issue isn’t the size of your faith. The issue is the greatness of the One your faith is resting in. Just a little bit of faith in a great God will always accomplish more than great confidence in yourself.
JESUS IS THE CHARGER FOR LOW BATTERY FAITH. Did you notice something about this father’s prayer? Before asking Jesus to help his son, he asked Jesus to help him. “Help thou mine unbelief.” He understood something I’ve forgotten many times. Before God changes what’s happening in front of us, He often wants to do something inside us. Many of us spend most of our prayer time asking God to change our circumstances, while God is working to strengthen our confidence in Him. That’s what He did throughout the Bible. Abraham struggled to believe God’s promise, but God was faithful to give him Isaac. Moses doubted himself, but God still used him to confront Pharaoh. Gideon was hiding in fear when God called him a mighty man of war. Peter sank beneath the waves, but Jesus reached down and lifted him up. Again and again, God took ordinary people whose faith was running low and patiently taught them to trust Him one step at a time. Someone wisely said, “Faith isn’t believing God can because everything looks possible. Faith is believing God can when everything looks impossible.” That’s exactly where this father found himself. And maybe that’s where you find yourself today.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? Has life drained your spiritual battery? Has disappointment left you discouraged? Has your faith been flickering lately? Then don’t be afraid to pray the same prayer this father prayed: “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” Jesus didn’t turn this man away because his faith was weak. He responded because his faith was real. If your faith feels like it’s running on 2%, don’t run from Jesus…run to Him! The One who calmed the storm, raised the dead, and healed this father’s son is still able to strengthen your heart today. And remember this: the power isn’t in the battery…the power is in the One you’re connected to. Stay connected to Jesus and His wonderful Word, and He will give you the strength you need for whatever you’re facing today. Think it over…🙏