In many religious circles, we are taught that we need to have bulletproof, unwavering faith before God will help us. We feel a tremendous pressure to project absolute certainty. We think that if we have even a shadow of doubt, we are failing spiritually and God will withhold His blessing. But this desperate father in the Gospel of Mark shows us a radically different way to approach God.
He didn’t hide his doubt. He didn’t put on a fake, religious smile. He brought both his desperate belief and his agonizing unbelief to Jesus at the exact same time. He was completely honest about his inner conflict. And Jesus responded to that honesty with a miracle.
God honors honest faith, even when it is small, trembling, and mixed with fear. You do not have to wait until you have conquered all your doubts to come to Him. You can come to Him with your doubts, asking Him to steady your heart. He is big enough to handle your questions, your fears, and your uncertainties.
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