help my unbelief

Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, I am such a mess.  At my best (and at my worst) I am an odd combination of belief and unbelief.  Help me to truly believe that you are good and that you care deeply for me and the things in my life and world.  Help me to trust in you.  Amen.

Scripture: Mark 9:14-29

Journal: Where in your soul are you a messy combination of belief and unbelief?  What does it look like to have faith even in that messiness?

Reflection: God, today I resonate with the desperate cry in the Gospel, “I believe, help my unbelief.” Sometimes I think I operate my life out of more doubt than faith. And yet I want to believe… and I do believe. I’m a complex creature. At times, I can believe with my head, while my body is still locked into patterns of skepticism and doubt. Faith is not yet in my muscles, my bones, my glands. Increase faith within me, O Lord. I’m sure that for faith to grow you will put me in situations where I’ll need resources beyond myself. I submit to this process. Will this mean moving out on behalf of others, praying for them and trusting you to work in them? If so, then show me the who, what, when, and where, and I will seek to act at your bidding. Throughout I am trusting you to take me from faith to faith—from the faith I do have to the faith that I am in the process of receiving. Thank you for hearing my prayer. Amen. (Prayers from the Heart by Richard Foster)

Prayer

Closing Prayer: Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.  Amen.