3 Things You Can Do When Your Faith is Faltering
By Jeff Cranston
If you could have any superpower, what would you want it to be? Invisibility? The ability to fly? Read people’s minds? Time travel? Let’s say you had miraculous powers as Jesus did, how would you use them? Or perhaps even more important, why would you use them?
Most of us would probably use our powers to benefit ourselves in some way. I would like to believe that we would also use our powers to help other people, and I believe that most of us would, although probably not at our own expense.
So why did Jesus use His miraculous powers? Certainly not to show off. In fact, we have seen Jesus repeatedly instructing people not to tell others about His miracles. Jesus also never used His miracles to benefit Himself. Not once!
Read Mark 8: 1-21. In this passage, Jesus fed 4,000 people with just seven loaves of bread and a few small fish! In the afterglow of this miracle, we see people who are settled in their unbelief, and we see people who are unsettled in their belief.
People settled in their unbelief
After Jesus fed the 4,000, He immediately got on a boat with His disciples and headed to the west side of the Sea of Galilee. According to verse 11, when Jesus got there, He was met by Pharisees, who came out to argue and test Him.
In response to the demands of these Pharisees—who were settled in their unbelief—Jesus refused to grant their request to perform for them as if He were nothing more than an attraction in a circus show. And because these men were so hardened against Him, He left them and got back in the boat and went away to the other side.
People who are unsettled in their belief
While the Pharisees were settled in their unbelief, the closest followers of Jesus were forgetful and unsettled in their belief. Verse 14 says: “And they had forgotten to take bread, and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them.”
How could they have forgotten bread when there were seven large baskets of leftovers available from the feeding of the 4,000? Not only were they forgetful, but they were also flustered when they heard Jesus say, “Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod” (verse 15).
In the Bible, leaven is often used as a metaphor for the invisible, pervasive spread of sin. It only takes a little bit to affect the whole. In short, the leaven of the Pharisees was bad theology, legalism and unholy hypocrisy. The leaven of Herod could be stated as an overemphasis on political power, materialism, sexual license, immorality and worldly focus. And Jesus says, “Take caution… watch out … beware of.” This is a good word for us, isn’t it?
In Mark 8:17, Jesus helps the disciples, and us, to become more settled in our belief in Him as the true Bread of Life. This is a teachable moment as He uses a loaf of bread as a visual aid. Jesus is appealing to their heads, their hearts and their hands. This is a good process for us to go through as well when we find our own faith faltering:
1. Remember God’s power in your head.
The first two questions found in Mark 8:17 are designed to stir up the disciples’ memories: “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand?” He wants them to think more deeply about the bread because they totally misunderstood the message. They focused on physical bread; He’s focused on spiritual bread.
Two more questions directed to their minds are found in Mark 8:18: “Having eyes, do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember…?”
The first place to start when you’re slipping spiritually is to focus on the facts. Bring to mind those things that you know to be true about God. That’s why it’s imperative to read the Bible every day—it helps you remember His words and reflect on His works.
2. Reflect on God’s purposes in your heart.
Jesus directs one of His questions right to our hearts. It’s found in the last part of Mark 8:17: “Do you have a hardened heart?” While those who are settled in their unbelief have hardened hearts, followers of Jesus can have hearts that have become hardened as well.
Do you ever hear yourself say, “I used to feel like Jesus was near, but I don’t feel that way anymore”? If so, you know you’re living by feelings, not by faith. Feelings by their very nature will fluctuate. To grow in your faith, start by remembering God’s power in your head and then reflect on His purposes in your heart, so you don’t become hardened.
3. Replay the provision God put in your hands.
Knowing that people’s thoughts and feelings can be scattered and untrustworthy, Jesus asked His disciples to replay how He had provided for them in the past. He asked two more questions in Mark 8:19-20 and got them to actually answer the questions. He forced the facts about God’s faithfulness from the past right into their present. When you remember His faithfulness in the past, you’ll realize He can do the same in the present and future.
This has been a simple passage to consider, but it has revealed great truth. I fear we are more like the disciples than we care to admit. Has Jesus been trying to teach you something, and yet you are too preoccupied to comprehend? Come before Him with unhindered attention and receive the truth He wants to share. Confess your lack of focus and faith. Trust Him to meet whatever need you have, especially the spiritual needs!
Jeff Cranston is the lead pastor of LowCountry Community Church in Bluffton, South Carolina.
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