Sun, May 18, 2025

Issue 1 | "Daily wisdom that fits your schedule"

VERSE OF THE DAY

Mark 9:24 (NIV)

A WORD FROM YOUR FATHER

My child,

I see the questions that trouble your heart today.

Those moments when you wonder if I'm really listening. If I'm really there. If I truly care about what concerns you.

Your doubts don't offend Me. They don't push Me away.

Remember, I am not fragile. Your questions don't threaten My existence. Your uncertainty doesn't weaken My love for you.

Some of My most faithful servants wrestled with doubt. They questioned My timing, My methods, even My goodness. Yet I called them friends.

Bring your doubts into the light. Speak them aloud to Me. Hidden doubts grow in power, but doubts exposed to My presence begin to shrink.

I'm not waiting for perfect faith before I move in your life. I'm looking for honest hearts that say, "I believe; help my unbelief."

That prayer moves My heart because it combines faith with honesty.

You don't need more faith to come to Me. You just need to come with the faith you have.

I'll meet you there.

I love you always, Your Father

DEVOTIONAL

When Faith Feels Fragile

I remember when doubt first shook my faith.

I was praying for something important. Something that mattered deeply. The answer was silence. My prayers felt like they were hitting the ceiling and bouncing back to me.

Where was God? Did He care? Was He even real?

The story in Mark 9 changed everything for me. A desperate father brings his suffering son to Jesus. When Jesus talks about the importance of faith, the father gives what might be the most honest prayer in scripture: "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

This man didn't pretend to have perfect faith. He didn't hide his struggles. He brought Jesus both his faith and his doubt in the same breath.

And Jesus healed his son anyway.

What strikes me most is that Jesus didn't rebuke the man for his honesty. He didn't say, "Come back when your faith is stronger." Instead, He honored the small faith the man had while acknowledging his struggle.

Many of us believe the lie that doubt is the opposite of faith. It's not.

Apathy is the opposite of faith.

Doubt is often part of a living, growing faith. It's what happens when we're honest enough to admit that we don't have all the answers.

I know now that my questions don't threaten God. He's big enough to handle every doubt I bring to Him.

The father in this story teaches us the perfect prayer for imperfect faith: "I believe; help my unbelief!"

Today, what doubts are you hiding from God? What questions are you afraid to ask? Bring them into the light. Your honest questions create space for honest answers.

PRAYER

Honest Faith

God, today I come to You with both my faith and my doubt. I believe You are good, but sometimes I struggle to see Your goodness in my situation. I believe You are working, but sometimes I wonder why I can't see evidence of it. Like the father in Mark 9, I say to You: "I believe; help my unbelief!" Thank You that You accept me in my uncertainty and that You're big enough to handle my questions. Strengthen my trust in the areas where it's weakest. Amen.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Facing Your Doubts

1. What specific doubt feels strongest in your life right now?

2. Why do you think we often feel guilty about our doubts?

3. What would change if you brought your doubts directly to God instead of hiding them?

Take 30 seconds to reflect on this before continuing

GROWTH RESOURCES

📚 Faith in the Questions

• Habakkuk's Journey From Doubt to Faith – A prophet who questioned God and found Him faithful.

• Psalms for Doubt and Faith – Read Psalms that honestly express doubt (Psalm 13, 73).

TODAY'S PRACTICE

Naming Your Doubt

Take 60 seconds. Write down your biggest doubt on a piece of paper. Then pray simply: "God, this is where I struggle to trust You. I believe; help my unbelief." Notice how it feels to bring your doubt into the open.

SPREAD ENCOURAGEMENT

Share Today's Word

Found today's devotional meaningful? Consider passing it along to someone in your life who appreciates spiritual growth resources. Everyone faces challenges, and these timeless truths can be a blessing no matter where someone is in their journey.

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