Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

After years of striving to walk with Christ, I arrived at a place in my spiritual journey where doubts and insecurities had become obstacles in my path. I found myself wondering if what I had believed all my life was in fact true. My mind and heart were full of questions like, “Is the Bible really the word of God?” and, “Does God really love me unconditionally?” I was desperate to believe again, but like the father in Mark 9:24 I had to accept that I needed the Lord’s help with my unbelief. All of my striving would not remove these roadblocks to my faith.

With a graduate degree, I had always relied on my ability to reason. However, feeling overwhelmed by doubt and confusion taught me a humbling lesson: There are some things that I just cannot figure out. Isn’t that what faith is all about — believing in something beyond our limited powers of observation and reason?  Like the father described in Mark 9, I had to become desperate enough to cry out, “Help my unbelief” (verse 24) — and in mercy, Christ has answered my cry.

Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for your unconditional love for us, even when we struggle with unbelief. Help us to turn our doubts over to you, mindful of your grace and mercy. Amen.