Sunday
School Lessons
Commentary by Walter Albritton
May 18
Doubt and Unbelief Are Overcome
By Deep Faith and Serious Prayer
Mark 9:14-37
Key Verse: Straightway the father of
the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
--Mark
Prayer makes a
difference. Serious prayer may be necessary in some situations. Casual prayer
may render us as weak and ineffective as the nine disciples were when they
failed to help the demon-possessed boy.
Doubt does not release
the floodgates of heaven’s power. Faith is necessary. Deep faith and serious
prayer are the only solution to some problems.
Mark does not explain
why the disciples were unable to help the boy. Perhaps, having recently
experienced the power Jesus gave them over demons, they had become overly
impressed with themselves. All of us make that mistake at times.
It may help us to
recall that these nine disciples had been sleeping while Jesus was on the
mountain praying. Peter, James, and John were also unable to stay awake and
pray as Jesus requested. Perhaps the lesson here is that power is released in
response to faithfulness in prayer.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
wisely pointed out that God does not give us power “in advance,” but as we need
it, and then in answer to prayer. When we become over-confident, and
self-centered, we neglect to pray, forgetting that our Lord said we could “do
nothing apart from him.”
The disciples learned
then that they were helpless without Jesus. However, they would learn later that
it was God’s plan for them to have all the power they needed to “be his
witnesses,” and to “go and make disciples.”
This power they would
receive through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, that same power is
available to us when we humbly recognize our need of the Spirit. We may express
that need through earnest prayer and fasting, both of which help us overcome
our doubt and unbelief.
Our neglect of prayer
often springs from our foolish pride. We think we have arrived, that we are
mature, strong believers. Instead of being God-conscious, we are self-conscious,
too occupied with our own thoughts to take the time to listen to God. Then,
once again, the scripture is fulfilled: “Pride goes before a fall.”
Before we can be
effective in ministry to others, we must learn that God does not get his work
done through human power. His work is done when his power is released into weak
people who depend upon Him, not themselves. Paul understood this. That is why
he said, “When I am weak, then I am strong.”
When I try to see
myself in this scripture passage, I can identify with the father of the sick
boy. So many times I have cried out to Jesus, with tears, “Lord, I believe;
help thou mine unbelief.” In many difficult situations, I have had faith, but I
have had honest doubt also. Frustrated, I have begged for deeper faith, faith
enough to shake loose from all doubt so that I could trust Jesus with my whole
heart.
In my soul, I have
often heard him challenge me with the words, “all things are possible to him
that believeth.” To which I have cried, “Please, Lord, give me such faith – and
free me from my doubt!”
As I read about Jesus
healing the boy, then taking him by the hand and lifting him up, my heart cries
for him to do that for me. I want so much for him to deliver me from the demon
of doubt, and take my hand, and lift me up so that I can minister to hurting
people effectively.
Now and then, he has
answered my prayer. He has lifted me up, out of doubt, into deep faith. In the
strength of His deliverance, I have been able to help others, and to feel His
power at work in me, even me. Nothing compares with such Spirit-filled moments!
Lord, teach us to pray
until we can pray seriously, trust you deeply, and see strongholds broken by
your mighty power at work in us! + + + +