There are moments in life when it’s easy to say we trust God. Things are going reasonably well, our prayers seem to be answered, and we feel confident in what we believe.
But what happens when life takes a turn we never expected? When someone we love is suffering, when the news isn’t good, or when we’ve prayed about something for a long time and nothing seems to change?
I’ve been following Christ for nearly 30 years, and I’ve learned that faith doesn’t mean those questions disappear. There are still times when I have to remind myself of what God has done in my life, especially when I’m facing something I don’t know how to handle.
That’s one reason a few words spoken by a desperate father in Mark 9 have stayed with me.
A Father Who Needed Help
In Mark 9:14–29, we meet a father whose son has suffered terribly since childhood. The boy is afflicted by what Scripture describes as an impure spirit, which has caused seizures, left him unable to speak, and repeatedly put his life in danger.
I’ll admit that when I first began reading the Bible, accounts involving impure spirits were difficult for me to understand. Even today, they’re not something I find comfortable thinking about. But the Gospels describe these encounters plainly, showing Jesus’ authority over spiritual evil.
Whatever questions a reader might have about that part of the account, the father’s situation is easy to understand. His child is suffering, and he wants someone to help him.
“But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
— Mark 9:22 (NIV)
Jesus responds by questioning the father’s words, “If you can?” and tells him that everything is possible for one who believes.
The father’s immediate response is one of the most honest statements of faith I’ve encountered in Scripture.
“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
— Mark 9:24 (NIV)
He believed, but he also recognized that his faith was struggling. And rather than hiding that struggle, he brought it directly to Jesus.
I Believe. Help My Unbelief. — What Does That Mean?
At first, the father’s words almost seem contradictory. How can someone believe and struggle with unbelief at the same time?
But the more I think about it, the more I understand what he’s saying.
He had enough faith to bring his son to Jesus. Yet after years of watching his child suffer, and after the disciples had been unable to help, he was struggling to believe that things could really change.
He didn’t pretend otherwise.
What stands out to me is that Jesus didn’t turn him away because his faith was imperfect. Jesus went on to deliver the boy from the impure spirit.
I think there’s something important here for anyone exploring Christianity. Maybe you’re interested in Jesus but aren’t sure what you believe yet. Maybe you’ve read parts of the Bible and have questions you can’t answer.
And for those of us who have believed for years, there can still be moments when what we know about God and what we’re feeling don’t seem to line up.
This father’s words remind me that we can be honest with Jesus about both.
When Our Prayers Aren’t Answered the Way We Hope
There’s something we have to be careful about when reading this account.
The father asked Jesus to help his son, and Jesus healed him. It’s a remarkable demonstration of His authority and compassion.
But not everyone who prays for healing receives it.
I’ve seen enough suffering in my life to know that some people face circumstances that are almost impossible to put into words. Parents lose children. Families watch someone they love endure a terrible illness. People pray faithfully, sometimes for years, and still experience heartbreaking outcomes.
I would never want someone who has gone through that to read this passage and conclude that their loved one suffered or died because they didn’t have enough faith.
That’s not what Mark 9 teaches.
Jesus’ words about what is possible for those who believe aren’t a guarantee that every prayer will be answered exactly as we want. I’ve come to believe that God always answers our prayers, although sometimes His answer isn’t what we hoped for or expected. That can be difficult to accept, especially when someone we love is suffering. The healing in this account reveals who Jesus is and what He has authority to do. It doesn’t mean our faith gives us control over how God answers.
And that raises a difficult question.
What does it mean to trust God when we don’t know what He’s going to do?
But Even If He Does Not
Whenever I think about that question, I remember Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3.
These three men were facing death because they refused to worship the golden image King Nebuchadnezzar had commanded everyone to worship.
They believed God was able to rescue them from the blazing furnace. But what strikes me most is what they said next.
“But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
— Daniel 3:18 (NIV)
I’ve read that account many times. And every time, I find myself thinking about what it would have been like to stand there.
It’s easy for me to admire their faith because I already know how the story ends. I know God delivered them.
But they didn’t know that when they spoke those words.
They believed God could save them, but they were prepared to remain faithful even if He didn’t.
I hope that if I ever faced a situation that demanded that kind of courage, I would respond with the same trust in God. But I don’t take that for granted.
It’s one thing to read those words while sitting comfortably at home. It’s another to say them when your own life is on the line.
And I think there’s a lesson in being honest about that difference.
I’ve reflected on this question of faith before in Faith in God Moves Mountains: Trusting When You Don’t Understand, where I explore what Jesus meant when He spoke about faith as small as a mustard seed.
What I’ve Learned About My Own Faith
One thing I’ve tried not to do when reading Scripture is assume I would have handled things better than the people I’m reading about.
When Peter told Jesus he would never deny Him, I don’t read that and think, Well, I certainly wouldn’t have done that.
Peter was convinced of his loyalty. Yet when the pressure came, he denied knowing Jesus three times.
I don’t know how I would have responded in Peter’s place.
I hope I would have remained faithful, but I also recognize how easily fear can affect our decisions. That’s why I believe we need God’s strength, not just confidence in ourselves.
Looking back over nearly 30 years of following Christ, I can see many ways God has helped me. Some of those things were clear at the time. Others I understood better years later.
And still, when a new difficulty comes along, I sometimes have to stop and remember those experiences.
Remembering God’s faithfulness doesn’t tell me how the next situation will turn out. But it helps me remember who I’m trusting.
Learning to Depend on Jesus
There’s another part of Mark 9 that I think is easy to overlook.
After Jesus healed the boy, His disciples privately asked why they hadn’t been able to drive out the spirit.
Jesus answered by pointing them to prayer.
These were men who had already spent time with Jesus, witnessed His miracles, and been given authority to carry out His work. Yet they were still learning what it meant to depend on God rather than their own ability.
I find that encouraging because I can relate to the process of learning, misunderstanding, and needing to be corrected.
Jesus was preparing these men for responsibilities they couldn’t yet fully understand. Their faith was developing as they followed Him.
And perhaps that’s part of what makes the father’s prayer so meaningful. He wasn’t presenting himself as someone with extraordinary faith. He was acknowledging that he needed Jesus’ help.
Not just for his son, but for himself.
A Prayer I May Never Outgrow
I think about the father standing before Jesus, worried about his son and uncertain about what would happen next.
He didn’t have the benefit of knowing how the story would end. He simply came to Jesus with the faith he had, along with the unbelief he couldn’t overcome on his own.
For someone still searching, perhaps there’s comfort in knowing that honest questions don’t have to be hidden. And for those of us who have followed Christ for many years, there’s a reminder that we never reach a point where we no longer need His help.
I don’t know what difficulties may be ahead in my own life. I hope that when they come, I’ll remember what God has already done and continue trusting Him, even when I can’t see what He’s doing.
And if I find myself struggling, I know there’s a prayer I can return to.
“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
— Mark 9:24 (NIV)
Maybe those are words we never completely outgrow.
More Straight Talk on Faith
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Looking for more straight talk about faith—without the sugarcoating?
If you’re searching for real-life encouragement and honest faith, check out my book, YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE: Christianity… From a Firefighter’s Perspective. It’s a short, straightforward read—something I wrote for regular folks, maybe especially guys, who want a no-nonsense look at faith that applies to real life. I often think of it as my own “tract”—just a simple way to point people to hope and honor God.
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