Many young Christians, including myself, seem to be weighed down by our doubts. Many times lately, I’ve caught myself in awkward situations where theology is being debated—such as the dual nature of Christ, or the sanctity of the Sabbath—and I feel totally disconnected from it all because my doubts run much deeper than “fluffy” theological musings. But I’m too timid to say, “Forget about the duality of Christ. What about the divinity of Christ?”
Then I came upon a story in Mark 9, in which Jesus comes upon a father and his demon-possessed son.
Jesus said, “Bring the boy to me.” So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.
“How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”
“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” The father instantly cried out, “I do believe! But help me overcome my unbelief!”
“Good enough for me!” Jesus said with excitement; and he healed the boy immediately.
God isn’t asking us to be perfect saints. He doesn’t even want us to try because he knows our limitations. He knows we’d fail epically. All he asks for is a little faith. We may have doubts. And as bad as it may sound, we may even have unbelief. If we open up ourselves to a faith as minuscule as a mustard seed, I believe that—like the father, whose son was healed—God will change our lives.
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