Unbelief

"Immediately, the boy's father said,' I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief'" Mark 9:24.

What has God convicted you of today, this week, this hour? It is like a light bulb going on. Suddenly, the Spirit grabs hold of an idea and plants it in your life over and over again, through different sources. Currently, God is convicting me of how God changes lives. 

So many young people were raised in the church and walk away. I have seen this blamed on many things including science, boring church, worldly enticements, overprotective parents, etc. These are all great ideas, however, this is group speak. Each young person is an individual and I balk at the Christian community lumping them all together. Each precious one is loved by God. He has not abandoned them. Each one is working through lots of issues. The bottom line is they are plagued with doubts. It is time to be honest about doubt. God uses doubt in powerful ways. If we abandon doubt - we abandon curiousity. We no longer have the desire to learn more about the God of the Universe.

I see young people raised in the church being inundated with rules. We feel if we point out sin in an obtuse way - everyone sins - that they will "ask Jesus into their heart" and from then on easy sailing. When things are not easy, the world steps in to tell them they have been sold a bill of goods. All the church ever did for them was make them feel guilty or superior. 

I love this father in Mark 9 when Jesus asked him if he believed, he said yes. Answering that question is often easy - yes, I believe God exists, I believe God loved the world and sent His Son. But, where this father went is humble and beautiful. He admitted, his belief was not strong. He desired to be all in. He desired to love Jesus and surrender to Him more! 

How does this relate to young church -raised doubters? We have not allowed them to admit that they are not all in. I believe many know the lingo, they know how to pacify those in the church so they will be left alone until they have slipped away and can do their own thing. By that time, they have a foothold in the world. It is hard to let go of that. They do not want to give up the fun, the friends, etc. What they don't know is that God does not want a robot. He wants the follower that learns to follow through surrender and love. One was never saved by cleaning up their act. One is saved through faith. That is the group speak I can agree with. 

I am reminded of the beautiful father of the prodigal son. He loved and,  I believe,  he prayed for his lost son who had embraced the world. When he came back asking for love, the father hugged him smelling like hogs and all. The shepherd chased after that lost sheep where that sheep was - gone astray.

Trust God to help the unbelief. Trust God to reach the heart. Then when the heart turns toward humble submission to ask God to help with unbelief, trust God to finish what he has started.