“And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, ‘How long has he had this?’ And he said, ‘From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘If you can! All things are possible to him who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’” (Mk 9: 20-24)
The father of the child does believe. And yet he is not quite sure if the Lord “can do anything.” He says quite desperately, almost hopelessly, to Jesus, “…if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.”
Thus it is sometimes, with faith. I believe, of course I believe. Generally. Like most people I know, I was brought up in the faith, hence “I believe.” But – whether or not God “can do anything” in my here and now is a different question. There is this deep-seated “unbelief,” fed by years of refusing God a central place in my daily life, which doubts that “all things are possible” in Him and with Him.
It is by letting God in, into my today, that I am “helped” with my unbelief. Not only on Sundays. Let me not deprive myself of His guidance on this Tuesday, surrendering my limitations to His limitless possibilities. But He doesn’t force His way into my life. “If you can,” He gently says to me today, – If you let Me in, then “all things are possible.”
