God's Glory Church

“Now the boy’s father cried out with tears and said, ‘I believe, Lord, help my unbelief!'” – Mark 9:24

“Where is my faith? Even in the depths of my soul there is nothing but emptiness and darkness… God, if you exist, please forgive me.”

You may be surprised to learn who the author of these words is. Mother Teresa. Beloved and known as a tireless helper of the poor in Calcutta, she quietly waged a desperate war for her faith for five decades. After her death in 1997, this war became known when fragments of her diary were published in the book Come and Be My Light.

What do we do with our doubts or our sense of God’s absence? These moments may bother some believers more than others. However, many faithful Christians may experience moments of such doubts at some point in their lives.

I am thankful that the Bible contains a wonderful example of a paradoxical prayer that expresses both faith and lack of faith. In the 9th chapter of the Gospel of Mark, it is told how Jesus meets a father whose son has been tormented by demons since childhood (v. 21). When Jesus said that a person must have faith (“to him who believes, all things are possible”, v. 23), the man replied: “I believe, Lord – help my unbelief” (v. 24).

This honest and heartfelt plea encourages those struggling with doubt to surrender it to God, trusting that He can strengthen our faith and hold us fast as we walk through the deepest and darkest valleys.

When have you struggled to deal with doubt in your spiritual journey? What spiritual resources have helped you not lose faith?

Dear Father, I sometimes doubt. Please help me to always feel Your presence.

Author: Adam Holtz