Increasing Faith

Increasing Faith

You faithless people! How long must I be with you? Mark 9:19

A FATHER BROUGHT HIS SON TO JESUS and, in the Master’s absence, asked some of his disciples if they could deal with the boy’s affliction. Though the disciples tried to cast out the spirit, they couldn’t. Jesus arrived at the scene, having come from a mountaintop where the veil of heaven was pulled back to reveal his glory and Moses and Elijah too, and the contrast between heavenly realities and earthly problems was stark. Jesus remarked sharply about the disciples’ lack of faith and proceeded to evict the afflicting spirit from the boy. Then he told the disciples that this kind of spirit could only be cast out by prayer and (according to some manuscripts) fasting.

Whether Jesus was genuinely angry or playfully teasing his disciples for their feeble faith is impossible to discern in a written text, though the latter seems more in keeping with his patience and love. But regardless of his demeanor, his point was clear. The situation called for faith and prayer, and the disciples, though they had already seen plenty of signs and wonders and been sent to the villages and towns on a mission of miracles (Mark 6:7-13), weren’t approaching it right. Apparently, they were surprised that they were unsuccessful too. Something in their faith, prayer, or resolve was lacking.

We might wonder, then, what Jesus would say to us about our faith. Having believed in his teachings, miracles, and promises, and having been “with” him in the power of his Holy Spirit ever since we believed, would he consider us “faithless” as he did the disciples? Would he display indignation, feigned or otherwise, over our feeble prayers and faltering faith? Would he marvel at how many problems, diseases, crises, and broken relationships we allow to remain around us? We hope not. But we suspect he might.

We know he loves us, of course. And we know he is still teaching us the ways of faith. But we also have to know that the things he taught the disciples also apply to us—that he did not suggest that prayers of faith were good for his times but not thereafter. So we press in, we believe, and we pray, “Lord, strengthen our faith.”

The prayer of faith is rooted in the life of faith.