Help My Unbelief

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Have you ever questioned your beliefs? Have you doubted God’s existence? Have you, like so many others, questioned how there can be so much evil in the world if God truly exists. There are many deep and profound questions of life. There are mysteries for which we don’t have answers. In their confusion, many of God’s chosen people missed the signs that had been foretold in the Old Testament when the Savior finally came. Now, during Advent, let’s ask God to strengthen our belief, so that we don’t miss the signs of our time. Please read more…..

The early Jews longed for their Messiah but when He finally appeared their unbelief caused them to reject Jesus and eventually crucify Him. As Christians and followers of Jesus Christ, we know Jesus to be the Messiah, the Son of God, yet even after we profess our faith in Him it is not unusual to experience periods of doubt.

Our humanness cries out for facts. We desire proof. Yet all we have is faith, and at times our faith can wane. So much about God remains a mystery. The Latin term “mysterium fidei” or mystery of faith is defined to mean: “a mystery hidden in God, which can never be known unless revealed by God.” Our faith is shrouded in mystery. Much of what we believe still awaits disclosure or interpretation by God. Sometimes this mystery can weigh us down and cause us to have doubts.

Have you ever asked God for more tangible signs of His existence? We must find comfort in the words Jesus spoke to Thomas when Thomas doubted Jesus’ resurrection. In John 20:29 we read this: “Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

I am reminded of all of the many signs and promises that God gave His chosen people in the Old Testament and still they lacked faith and failed to recognize Jesus as their long awaited savior. In Genesis 3:15 they are told that from the offspring of woman one will come who will crush the head of the serpent. In Genesis 12:3 they are told that from Abraham an offspring will come that will bless all of the nations. In 2 Samuel 7:16 the people learn that their future King will come from the house of David and His reign will last forever. In Isaiah 7:14 it is revealed that the savior will be born of a virgin. In Micah 5:1 the Jewish people learn their future ruler will be born in Bethlehem. In Zechariah 9:9-10 the people discover that their king will one day ride into Jerusalem on a donkey. Finally in Isaiah 53:5 they learn that the “servant of the Lord” will be pierced for their transgressions and crushed by their iniquities. Even though God gave His people all of these signs, when these prophesies were finally fulfilled in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus, the people still were filled with unbelief.  

Last week, a 4^th Day Letter reader named Bob posted a reply on my website and in his remarks he mentioned a song SHOW ME THE WAY by the music group Styx. I was unfamiliar with that song, but once I listened to it, I was moved to include some of its lyrics in today’s message.

Every night I say a prayer in the hope that there’s a heaven
But every day I’m more confused as the saints turn into sinners
All the heroes and legends I knew as a child have fallen to idols of clay
And I feel this empty place inside, so afraid that I’ve lost my faith

Show me the way, show me the way
Bring me tonight to the mountain
And take my confusion away
And show me the way

Periods of doubt are part and parcel of our journey of faith. As we continue on in this Advent Season let’s pray for a richer and deeper faith. Take a moment to reflect on this exchange between Jesus and the father of a boy who was possessed by a demon: “Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.” Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:22-23

If this past year has brought you loss, grief, disappointment, heartache, loneliness, or disillusionment and you are making your way through a dark time in life and experiencing some doubts, join with me in prayer during this Advent Season as we pray these words:

Lord I do believe, help my unbelief!

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Brian Pusateri

Brian is a Christian author and speaker. Brian, a lifelong Catholic, felt his life was forever changed when God spoke to his heart while attending an eight day silent Christian retreat in November of 2011. Soon after that retreat Brian founded 4th Day Letters and Broken Door Ministries. With the God inspired message of mercy and unconditional love that was placed on his heart during that retreat, Brian has been impacting others all over the country and around the world with his weekly letters, his talks, and his all day Christian retreats. In June of 2014, Brian’s life was again impacted in a very dramatic way when his eyesight suddenly became permanently impaired. The initial diagnosis was Multiple Scleroses (MS) but in December of 2019 the diagnosis was corrected to MOG antibody disease, a rare neurological disease. This health challenge has only served to draw Brian closer to God and bolster the importance of this timely yet ageless message.

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