Latest / Jo Watson: Unfiltered Faith / Fragile Faith
Transcript
- Jo Watson: Welcome back to Unfiltered Faith. I'm Joe Watson and it's time to breathe. Time to slow down. Time to let your shoulders drop and time to step into the sanctuary. Not the sanctuary that we're all so familiar with, but the one that God is building inside you. I'm so grateful you're here, whether you're listening on your morning drive, sitting in your quiet place, or just trying to make it through another day. And let me say thank you for sticking with us while we work through some of our technical difficulties. It's frustrating, but it's the price that we pay for trying to put together a great show for you. In today's episode, we're talking about when your faith feels fragile. I'm talking about when you're going through something and faith and doubt are in the same place. When it feels like God is distant and you're not sure what's happened to your faith, and your prayer sounds something like, God, I'm trying to believe, but I'm struggling. So if that's you, then this episode is for you. Because we are family, giving voice to unfiltered faith, so let's Let's go. And our story this morning is from Leticia. Here's what Leticia wrote. I grew up in the church. My grandmother and mother were really active in the church. And my father, while he was not as active, he did attend frequently. I've always been the kind of person who was surrounded by church folks. I trusted easily, prayed boldly, and worshiped with my whole heart. But this season I'm in now. Feels different. It wasn't one big tragedy that has shaken my faith. It was the slow accumulation of disappointments. It was prayers that seemed unanswered. It was doors that stayed closed. It was people in leadership who I trusted who have walked away. And it was the quiet ache of wondering if God still sees me. It seemed like every morning I sat on the edge of My bed with my Bible open, whispering the same prayer. Lord, I'm trying, but I'm struggling to believe you today. I'm not angry at God. I'm not running from Him. I'm just tired, tired of hoping, tired of waiting, tired of feeling like my faith is slipping away. Today I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes, barely able to write this letter. I don't know what writing this letter will do. Thank you for your letter, Letitia. I'm sorry that you're struggling right now, but I want you to know something right from the start. If you are struggling with unbelief or fragile faith, your struggle does not disqualify your faith. Your questions do not cancel your calling, and your doubt does not make God withdraw his love. Faith is not always loud, sometimes it's fragile. Sometimes it's quiet. Sometimes it is held together by a single thread of hope. And that's okay, because it is in that space where our Lord meets us. Let's start with one of the most honest prayers in Scripture found in Mark 9:24. It says, I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief. Now, the full context of this man's prayer is this. Jesus had just returned from the Mount of Transfiguration when he came upon a large crowd surrounding his disciples. An argument was taking place, and people were all stirred up. Jesus asked, What was going on? And the man from the crowd explained that the disciples had been trying to cast a demon out of the man's son, but had failed in their attempt. In Mark 9:19, Jesus says, You unbelieving generation, how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me. So the boy was brought to Jesus. But when the spirit saw Jesus, it threw the boy into a convulsion. The boy's father said to Jesus, If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us. In verse Verse 23, Jesus assures the man that everything is possible for one who believes. The Father says, I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief. Jesus immediately casts the unclean spirit out of the boy. Later the disciples ask Jesus why they were unable to cast the demon out, and Jesus tells them this kind of spirit can come out only by prayer. Now, the dominant theme in this passage is faith and doubt. Jesus' initial response to hearing of the boy's condition expresses his disappointment in a lack of faith. You unbelieving generation, how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? The boy's father initially seems also to display a lack of faith as well, because in Mark 22, he He asks Jesus to do something for the boy if you can. And Jesus picks up on this doubt and assures the man that anything is possible if he has faith. It appears that the only thing preventing the man's son from being healed is his faith. The man wants to express faith, but at the same time be genuine. In essence, the father is saying, My faith is far from perfect. I may not have enough faith. If my faith is not enough, please help me to have enough. The Contemporary English Version Bible translates it like this I do have faith. Please help me to have even more and Jesus responds and heals the boy. Many of us can identify with this man from time to time, wanting to believe but wrestling with doubt. And rather than allowing shame to grab a hold of us, know that it is the acknowledgement of our inadequacy that allows God to work in our lives. This father wasn't pretending, he wasn't performing, he wasn't He wasn't trying to impress Jesus with perfect faith. He bought his real faith to Jesus, the messy kind, the kind we don't want our church folks to know that we may be wrestling with, the kind that believes and doubts at the same time. And something important that we shouldn't miss. Jesus didn't reject the man, Jesus responded to the man based on where the man was. Sometimes the most powerful prayer that we can pray is Lord, here's the truth. I'm struggling. Help me. Our honesty is not a weakness. It's worship. It's intimacy. It's trust. Trusting that God will hear us and respond. Faith isn't the absence of doubt. Faith is choosing to bring our doubt to God instead of running from Him. Hebrews 11 1 says, now faith is confidence in what we hope for, and assurance about what we do not see. Faith is not sight. Faith is not certainty. Faith is not clarity. Faith is confidence in what we hope for, and assurance in what we cannot see. And that means there will be seasons where we don't see the way forward. There will be seasons where our prayers feel unanswered. There will be seasons where God feels silent. Faith is trusting that God is moving even when we can't see the movement. We have faith and we always leave room for God's will. Second Corinthians twelve nine says, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Our weakness is not a liability. Our weakness is an invitation for deeper relationship with God. Leticia, God's power doesn't show up in our perfection, it shows up in our need, in our exhaustion, in our confusion, in our I don't know what to do next. When our faith feels fragile, God's grace becomes strong. When our strength runs out, his strength steps in. When our confidence fades, his presence fills the gap. You don't have to hold everything together, Leticia. You just have to hold on to him. There is a verse that has carried me through some of my hardest seasons. It's Psalm 73, 26, and it says, My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Your heart may fail, your emotions may fail, your consistency may fail, your faith may feel fragile, but God does not fail. Your struggle is not the end of your story. It's the place where God is writing a new chapter. We have faith and we always, always leave room for God's will. Let's pray. Lord, meet us in our unbelief. Hold us in the places where our faith feels fragile. Turn our questions into communion, our weakness into worship, and our silence into sanctuary. Strengthen every heart listening today. Remind them that you are near. You are faithful. You are working even when we cannot see it. Amen. Thank you for joining me today on Unfiltered Faith. If this episode spoke to you, share it with someone who needs the reminder that there is hope even when our faith feels fragile. And if you are struggling, this episode is not a substitution for professional therapy or pastoral guidance. Please seek the help that you need. And until next time, family. Filtered faith, God is moving, so stay ready.