Believe...

"All things are possible for him who believes."
Mark 9:23

Every year at Christmas, my younger children and I pick a word. It's our Christmas word and we always try to find an ornament with that word on it. A couple of years ago our word was "believe". It began with the movie "A Polar Express". In that movie, of course, they were believing in Santa. But if you watch it with "kingdom eyes" there are some spiritual truths to be found in it.
 

Do you believe?

Have you ever caught yourself saying "I can't believe it!" We usually make that exclamation when some amazing event we have been hoping for occurs and we are astonished. Or sometimes it is a disappointing event that we were hoping would not occur.  And yet, there it is...right before our very eyes and we say "I can't believe it!" It seems like such an innocent exclamation. But what is really behind the words?

Last summer as I was recovering from back surgery, I stumbled across the song that is playing as you read this. (If you can't hear it...turn your volume up). It's called Help Me Believe by Kirk Franklin. I was actually at a low place emotionally, mostly due to the pain medication the doctors had me on. But it seemed to really speak to the most difficult areas in my life where I was struggling to believe.

"I wanna believe but I'm having a hard time seeing past 
what I see right now...
I wanna be free but when I try to fly I realize I don't know how... 
no one showed me how...
Could you give me a sign cause I don't feel you like I should...
My faith is almost gone, I can't hold on much longer
Please take this cup from me". 

Ever been there? There are those times in life when you just can't see past your current circumstances. The times when you don't know where the next meal is coming from, or the next paycheck. Or if you will ever live free of pain again. We want to be free of it all, but we just don't know how. And we beg for Him to take it all away. But, what if He doesn't?

Do you believe?

Mark 9 tells the story of the man whose son was possessed by several demons. He came to Jesus and said, "If you can do anything, come and help us". I can almost hear the question in Jesus' voice when he repeats "'If you can'? Everything is possible for him who believes".

Can you hear the backpedaling the father does as he quickly says..."I do believe." But then, somehow sensing that Jesus knows his heart, he adds..."help me overcome my unbelief".

We all want to believe. But sometimes our faith is so small. Do you remember Thomas? He said he wouldn't believe Jesus had been raised from the dead unless he could see it for himself and put his hands in the wounds. Did he really not believe? Or was it one of those "I can't believe it" moments? Whichever the case, in John 20:29 Jesus said, "because you have seen me, you believe; blessed are those who don't see and yet believe." That's you and me.

Do you believe?

We all have hard times and sticky situations we have to endure. It's called life. But when we experience those times when we feel all alone and can't see past our circumstances, we have to remind ourselves...He's been there before us. He has experienced all the hurts and disappointments we have. And, He sees our hearts and He knows... 

we wanna believe.

So, if you are struggling with unbelief..look back. Look back at those times in the past when you have needed Him and He has rescued you. Look back at those times when you didn't know where the next meal was coming from and someone brought you dinner. Look back at those times when you were in pain and He healed you. Look back to those times when you felt alone, and He was your friend. We have a history with Him....and if perhaps you don't yet know Jesus and don't think you have a history with Him, I would venture to say that if you look back, you will see His hand in your life. I know that His eye has never left you. And today, you can begin to have that relationship with Him and start a new life and a new history. All you have to do is say...

I Believe...