The Inadequacy of Our Faith
Don't look here for the perfect answer, just wrestling.
Mark 9:14-29
What a story. It can be read and received with a variety of responses and emotions. In perhaps the simplest of terms, one can conclude, “If we have enough faith, we can do anything.” That’s what Jesus says, right?
All things are possible for the one who has faith.
But also, people have tried for generations to have such faith and come away disappointed. It leads to all sorts of difficult questions:
Do I not have faith?
Is there a difference between faith and desire?
How do I get more faith?
Why can’t I get more faith?
These questions often hinge on making faith a substance-like acquisition. And ultimately, for so many, such questions end in disappointment.
Who, in similar circumstances (the health of a child or other family member, etc.), wouldn’t have such a strong desire for healing?
Here in Mark, the nameless father expresses well the plight of so many of us: I do believe, Jesus, but I also don’t. Help my unbelief.
Perhaps it’s important that the father doesn’t do the healing. Jesus heals the son. This doesn’t solve everything, but it might relax our guilt in not having enough faith to do something or get something done.
Mark 9:14-29
When Jesus, Peter, James, and John approached the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them and legal experts arguing with them. Suddenly the whole crowd caught sight of Jesus. They ran to greet him, overcome with excitement. Jesus asked them, “What are you arguing about?”
Someone from the crowd responded, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, since he has a spirit that doesn’t allow him to speak. Wherever it overpowers him, it throws him into a fit. He foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and stiffens up. So I spoke to your disciples to see if they could throw it out, but they couldn’t.”
Jesus answered them, “You faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I put up with you? Bring him to me.”
They brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a fit. He fell on the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been going on?”
He said, “Since he was a child. It has often thrown him into a fire or into water trying to kill him. If you can do anything, help us! Show us compassion!”
Jesus said to him, “‘If you can do anything’? All things are possible for the one who has faith.”
At that the boy’s father cried out, “I have faith; help my lack of faith!”
Noticing that the crowd had surged together, Jesus spoke harshly to the unclean spirit, “Mute and deaf spirit, I command you to come out of him and never enter him again.” After screaming and shaking the boy horribly, the spirit came out. The boy seemed to be dead; in fact, several people said that he had died. But Jesus took his hand, lifted him up, and he arose.
After Jesus went into a house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we throw this spirit out?”
Jesus answered, “Throwing this kind of spirit out requires prayer.”
Prayer
God,
Honestly, sometimes it feels like we can’t win. We can do pretty much everything right, and still lose. This seems particularly true and particularly cruel when it’s something involving the deepest recesses of our love, care, and effort. Like parenting, or being involved in a relationship, or perhaps even a project, vocation, or calling we felt like was exactly what you asked us to do.
And yet, it fails. We’re hurt. Disappointed. Failure.
Yes, yes, I know…it teaches me more about your perspective. You created the world. You made humanity. And despite handing us literally the whole world, we have too often rejected the relationship and the terms of love. So I am sympathetic, Lord. I am.
But it still hurts. And frankly, I don’t have the everlasting love, grace, and wisdom with which you are shackled. So help me, God.
Help me to stand firm in love nonetheless. No matter what, I do want to do what is right, best, and loving. Just help me hang in there by your grace and strength in the meantime.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.