Help My Unbelief

ILLUSTRATION: Tell a story about a student (or yourself) facing doubt or deep questions. Conclude by explaining how this was actually good. They were thinking for themselves and seeking answers.

TENSION / ILLUSTRATION

• Doubt, within itself, isn't a bad sign.

• It's often a great one.

• It means that you are thinking for yourself, wrestling with your beliefs, and taking ownership of your faith.

• People don't abandon faith because of doubt.

• They leave because they never took true ownership of their faith.

• While doubt seems dangerous, it can be significant. It is often the first step towards wisdom, growth, and understanding.

• Doubt, when properly approached, can lead us to deeper faith.

• Faith can fluctuate in our lives.

• Sometimes faith flows like a fountain.

• Other times, faith feels like a fight. I'm sure you've been there.

• You're wrestling with complex questions while God seems silent. If you've ever felt this way, then you are not alone.

• Meet a fascinating figure in Mark's Gospel.

• A caring father is in the middle of a faith crisis, so he approaches Jesus with his doubts.

• The young boy in this story was mentally tormented for his entire life.

• His family must have been mentally tormented as well.

• Imagine going through every day knowing your son could attempt suicide at any moment.

• Most parents get to watch their kids develop, grow, and thrive. In desperation, these parents saw their son experience suffering, torture, and darkness.

• The distress developed into doubt.

• This doubting dad pleads, "Help me with my unbelief" (9:24).

• These aren't the words of a devout, happy-go-lucky, faith-filled follower of Jesus.

• Nope, this discussion drips with desperation and doubt.

• He's asking for two miracles.

• First, he wants his child to be rescued.

• Second, he wants his faith to be restored.

• Without hesitation, Jesus moves in power.

• The boy convulses on the ground as a plume of red dust rises around him like steam from a kettle.

• Suddenly, the madness becomes motionlessness.

• After an uncomfortable stillness, he rises to his feet, dusts himself off, and smiles wide.

• The son encountered restoration, and the father's faith experienced resurrection.

— TRANSITION —

• We can learn a lot from the doubting dad in this story. He didn’t hide his struggles. He didn’t try to “play perfect Christian.” Instead, he went to Jesus with a simple, but powerful plea — help my unbelief.

• This story gives us a framework for times when doubt seems daunting. It helps us examine a healthy approach to life’s big questions.

• What do you do when doubt seems daunting?

Pray: "God, Help my unbelief."

• This is a phrase we will all pray at one point or another.

• Questions will become too big.

• Life will become too hard.

• Doubt will become too dark.

• Jesus didn't tell this man, "Sorry pal, you're out of luck! You don't believe, so you're stuck."

• Instead, Jesus encouraged this man to begin with the little bit of faith he already had.

• It was small, but it was a start.

• Start with the little faith you have.

• We must follow this father's lead.

• Start with the faith you have, even if it's only a little.

• Take inventory of all the ways you've seen Jesus move in the past, then write them down.

• Look at all the good things in your life and thank God for them.

• Place your hand on your heart and count your heartbeats.

• Know that each pump is proof of God's purpose for you.

• You don't need to have faith the size of a mountain; you just need faith the size of a mustard seed

ILLUSTRATION: Pull out a mustard seed (or any small seed) to prove this point.

• Every spring, people scatter dozens of tiny little seeds into the freshly-broken soil in their gardens.

• Like clockwork, they visit these little mounds to water them, tend to them, and talk to them.

• Yes, people are really into having encouraging conversations with his plants.

• Sure, it sounds weird, but it works.

• Come June, the entire garden will be overtaken by spiraling vines and flourishing veggies.

• Maybe it was the water, maybe it was the sun, or maybe it was the conversation. Whatever the cause, those little seeds produced bountiful produce.

• When talking about your faith, Jesus says. "It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants” (4:31-32).

• When preaching to a group of farmers about faith, Jesus used an illustration very familiar to them — seeds.

• He explained that our faith is like a teeny-tiny seed. It’s not much at first, but it expands when planted.

• A mustard seed is the size of half a grain of rice, but the shrub that grows from it can tower almost ten feet tall.

• The same is true with your faith — a little bit of faith produces big outcomes.

• Everyone has faith in something.

• You have faith that your chair will hold you up.

• You have faith that your friend will keep your secrets.

• You have faith that the Krispy Kreme employee didn’t poison your donut.

• Everyone has faith — the difference is what (or who) you put your faith in.

• You don’t need a lot of faith in God in order to see great things.

• You just need a little.

• Your faith may be small, but your God is big.

• A little bit of faith in a big God leads to unbelievable outcomes.

Landing:

• What are some places where you're struggling to trust Jesus?

• Tell Him right now.

• Are you questioning the correlation between faith and science? Bring that to God.

• Are you losing sleep because God has seemed silent? Tell that to your loving Father.

• Are you questioning God because your experience didn't match your expectation? Go to God instead of running the other way.

• If you have doubts, pray this today. "God I have a little bit of faith, but I have doubts too. Can you help me with my unbelief?"

• You don't need supersized faith, you just need some faith.

• Take that fragment of faith and apply it to a conversation with God.

• The Apostle Paul encourages you to walk by faith.

• He doesn't teach to us to sit by faith, think by faith, or rest by faith.

• Faith is a verb. It’s attached to action.

• It’s not an idea designed to spark conversation. It’s a verb designed to spark action.

• Your faith formation will require a journey, discussion, or a wrestling match.

• As your pastor, I am willing to walk that journey with you, have those hard talks with you, and work through tough topics with you.

• Your leaders are here to do the same. (Reference your small group structure.)

• We eclipse our doubts when we walk in faith.

• That's your calling today.

• Walk forward in the faith you have, even if it's small.

• A little bit of faith in a big God leads to unbelievable outcomes.

TALK IT OUT 

Go through these questions with your circle. Be honest. Be open. Talk through the tough stuff.

Q1: How can doubts actually lead you towards growing in your faith?

Q2: Do your circumstances tend to impact how confident you are in God’s goodness?

Q3: Why is it so easy to doubt God when life gets really hard? How did the father in this story respond to a desperate situation with his son?

Q4: Have you been struggling to trust Jesus through a specific situation? How could you begin to walk in faith instead?

Q5: Think of an area of your life where you question God’s ability to help you or someone you love. Commit to praying “God, help my unbelief” every day this week.

READ THESE PASSAGES IN ORDER EVERY DAY

Psalm 136:1-5

Psalm 136:6-10

Exodus 14:14

John 14:27 1

John 4:16-19

Matthew 5:14-16 2

Corinthians 5:14-16

Do the following with each passage: 

ASK– God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down and inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you today.

READ– the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.

REFLECT– on what grabs you. How does this passage personally relate to your own life and experiences?

RESPOND– to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered.