Do Something If You Can

I wonder how much of God's work has been interrupted by doubt. Now of course I know that God is supreme and can do whatever He chooses to bring glory to himself even if people doubt. We see stories in the New Testament where people doubt but Jesus still performs the miracle to bring glory to the father. But Jesus does say how if we have faith, we could move the mountains. So if we believe the word of God, why don't we move the mountains that our in our lives and in others lives? We don't move mountains for one reason: Doubt.

Jesus says to the disciples on several occasions that they need to stop doubting. Doubt has been an epidemic since Christ started his ministry. Some of his family doubted who he was, some of his disciples doubted His abilities. What is really crazy is when his disciples doubt the abilities of Christ after they have already seen him take care of a problem before. Example: Jesus feeds five thousand with 5 loaves and 2 fish and it is amazing. Just a little while later there is a crowd of four thousand and the disciples say "How are we supposed to find enough food for them here in the wilderness?" I don't know why Jesus didn't say "Ok guys, pack it up. You can go home."

My wife and I just started reading through the New Testament recently. We came to this passage and I thought, "This is our problem!" By "our problem", I mean the churches problem.

"How long has this been happening?" Jesus asked the boy's father. He replied, "Since he was very small. The evil spirit often makes him fall into he fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us. Do something if you can." "What do you mean 'If I can!?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes." The father instantly replied, "I do believe, but help me not to doubt!" --Mark 9: 21-24

Did this guy seriously just have this conversation with Jesus? "Do something if you can" and "I believe but help me not doubt." He just told Jesus, The Son of God, God himself, "Do something if you can." Why didn't Jesus say "Dude! I was there in the beginning. I was involved with making all of creation. Just ask my disciples what they have seen me do in the last year. And in a couple of days when they finish telling you about half the stories, come back and see me."

Of course this guy isn't the only person with this problem. I feel like this mind set is running rampant in the church today. We believe in the Power of God. We have heard the stories of His awesome power, probably even seen His power in our own lives, but we still doubt. We take our prayers to God with a heart of "Do something if you can." We believe but we still have doubts. What kind of faith is that?

I want us all to be encouraged to believe God without doubt. Mark 6: 1-6 shares a tragic story that I don't want to happen to any of us. Jesus goes to his hometown and the people don't believe. Verses 5 & 6 say "And because of their unbelief, he couldn't do any mighty miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their unbelief." Don't let Christ look at your life and say, "I can't do anything here because they won't believe!"

Just Believe!