The Fickleness of Faith.
A few days ago in my log I acknowledged that maintaining strong faith in the face of contrary circumstances is a very difficult 'call' for me. I'm sometimes ashamed and often frustrated at the fickle nature of my faith. Take, for example, a current situation that we face in our household. One of our children is about to launch into a new phase of life which will initially require a provision from God that needs to be of a very significant kind.
What increases the pressure is that there is an inbuilt time frame. The provision needs to be made by a specific date. In my prayer to the Lord about this situation I found myself talking as one father to another Father about our child. As I focused upon the circumstances, I found myself thinking about the father who brought his demonized son to Jesus seeking the provision of healing. I relate to that man even though his situation was more dramatic than mine. His heart cry is mine, too. "I do believe but help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24 NLT). That's what I mean by fickle faith. Within me is this strange, contradictory mixture of faith sometimes and unbelief at other times.
Then came this reassurance; "If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly father give good gifts to those who ask Him?" (Matt.7:11 NLT). Everything within me at this moment calls out, "I do believe!" But, given my track record with this faith journey over 50 years now, there may yet come times so far as this present situation is concerned when I will cry out, "Help me overcome my unbelief!"
I guess that's OK so long as I bring my childs need to the Lord Who alone can meet that need. The greater problem arises when unbelief is so entrenched that I don't even bring my child to Jesus in the first place.
