He Still Can

Right there in the scriptures I see my own heart just as plain as day.

That place in the middle of Mark chapter nine where the Father of the young child says to Jesus,

"I believe; but help my unbelief."

We can sometimes find ourselves in this very place, when the end of the year is drawing to a close and our hearts begin to panic and we look back over the last 11 months and see that it hasn't happened yet.

The breakthrough. The restoration. The recompense. The restitution. The redemption in whatever areas we are praying for.

We have believed.

We have prayed.

We have trusted.

We have been patient in affliction.

We have offered up a multitude of a form of worship called a sacrifice of praise in the midst of painful circumstance after painful circumstance.

Some of us have been disappointed so many times that it can feel like hope deferred on steroids and despair has threatened to take up permanent residence in our hearts.

And we can believe and know for certain that God is good, because He absolutely is. That He is faithful and true. That He can do above all we can think, hope or imagine...

And yet sometimes the years of waiting can bring on a tidal wave of unbelief in our hearts.

I think the longer we've been waiting on the breakthrough, the harder it can be to simply believe that HE STILL CAN.

That He has not forgotten.

The longer we wait for the promises to be fulfilled, the heavier the weight our hearts can feel.

Wait = Weight.

But He reminds us in His word what all of that really means.

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen." - 2Corinthians 5:16-18

Wait + Weight = The weight of glory.

This is the good news.

In Mark Chapter 9

A Father is hurting over a serious situation with his son and he brings his son to Jesus for healing.

Jesus asks the Father, "How long has this been happening?"

And he answered, "From childhood."

The Father goes on to explain in some detail about the circumstances surrounding his son and says to Jesus, "If you can do anything, please have compassion on us and help us." - Mark 9:22

"What do you mean, 'if I can'?" Jesus asked.  ~Mark 9:23 NLT

Jesus then says "Anything is possible if a person believes."

The Father replies, "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:24

The scriptures tell us that the very next thing that happens is that Jesus immediately helped his son.

It was important for me to see that Jesus wanted to know how long it had been and he also spoke directly to his unbelief by asking him, "What do you mean, 'If I can'?"

Jesus is concerned with how long we have suffered with our circumstances.

And sometimes the only way we can overcome our unbelief is by receiving the breakthrough.

Each time He answers or moves on our behalf- our faith increases. Those situations become stones of remembrance in our faith walk, where we can look back and remember and know that no matter what it looks like, He is for us and not against us.

Even if it takes years. 

I hope these words bring encouragement and if you are waiting and wondering if He still can, I pray that these words are a healing balm for your heart today.

"What do you mean, 'If I can'?"

Heal your body?

Restore your soul?

Redeem your circumstances?

Open your womb?

Heal your marriage?

   

Restore the years the locusts have eaten?

Replace your lost income?

Renew your mind?

Open up opportunities?

Heal your circumstances?

Give you the desire of your heart?

Help you in that situation?

Move in that adoption process?

Bring your daughter home?

Give you an incredible spouse?

Teach you my word?

Help you in raising your children?

Reveal myself to you in a new way?

He still can. 

He is well able to do above all we can think, hope or imagine.

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 5:16-18