23“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” 24Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
Belief and unbelief are not always at opposite ends of our experience. Often they sit side by side. We notice it most often when we are in crisis, when tragedy strikes. Part of us knows the Lord is present, and part of us says that if He were present, this tragedy would not have happened. We often need an extra dose of belief in the middle of crisis. Our passage today shows a father in desperate need of help for his son. When our children are in need it certainly drives deep into our soul, doesn’t it! His son is so sick that Jesus’ disciples could not help him. The man wants to believe; he wants his son to get better. He proclaims both his belief and his unbelief. We don’t know the percentage of belief. Maybe it was 95/5 belief/unbelief. Maybe it was 60/40. Who knows! What is your percentage of belief? He will help you with your unbelief if you ask Him. Are you willing to ask Him? It can be very hard to do when you are in the middle of a crisis, so why don’t you ask Him now when you are not in the middle of a crisis. Ask Him to help you have more faith. It might mean He allows more opportunities to exercise that faith, i.e. more trials, but in the end it will be better for your eternity.
The Arnold Journey 