No matter what translation you use....they all apply:
NIV = "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
THE MESSAGE = "Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!"
AMPLIFIED BIBLE = "Lord, I believe! [Constantly] help my [c]weakness of faith!"
KJV = "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."
CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH = "I do have faith! Please help me to have even more."
And there are many more translations that all pretty much say the same thing.
I have struggled with this verse for quite sometime. I've always looked at it like "I" am not the one that does not have faith or yet, "I" am not the one that does not believe. Until recently. Thanks to a great friend...I now GET IT!!!
Last week our house was broken into while we were at church camp. I wasn't going to blog about it, but something is calling me to.
The damage to the house itself was not as bad as I had originally thought when I first received the phone call. Yes, things were stolen and even today, I have found more things missing. I'm sure that will go on for a while. Are they of any financial value?? Yes, some. But that doesn't matter to me. What matters most is that we were not home and we are all safe. Do we feel safe??? Not at all. Do we sleep??? Not really.
I've had many friends and loved ones that have graciously called to check on us nearly everyday and at night as well. My phone has not stopped ringing. Some have even come over to keep me company when Chad is not here or stayed on the phone with me as I was frightened until he got home. We've had some great times and some good laughs. With that comfort, comes peace. Just to hear another person's voice on the end of the phone when you are scared is very comforting.
Many questions have been asked and the most common one is:
Are you scared? Well....the answer to that is YES!!!
But I find some things very interesting. Yesterday and today friends said to me "Do you think that God is trying to test your patience?"
Both times...I had to laugh!
The answer to that is NO!!!! I do not think that at all.
I think a couple of things.
#1) I think that God is trying to strengthen my Faith in Him.
I feel I am a person that has a lot of faith....in certain areas. My safety has NEVER been one of them. My entire life I have been put into unsafe situations which have caused me to doubt and live in fear. But through all of that, I have become a stronger woman.
#2) I think that God is trying to strengthen my patience.
I know that at times I can be a very impatient person. Sometimes to a fault.
Through all of our trials over the past 14 years in our marriage, I feel that both Chad and I have grown tremendously in the area of patience. Even through all the struggles I have been through as a child and growing up it seems that I have NOT been tested, but strengthened.
But I DO have times of doubt, and unblief. I think that is why I am so scared to be at home. I do believe without a shadow of a doubt that God is going to protect us and keep us safe. However, the human side of me fears that either these men will come back or this will happen again. I live in fear.
So pray...that God does rescue me. Rescue me from my unbelieveing ways! Help me to overcome my fear and totally lean and trust in Him.
I like the contemporary version that says "I do have faith. Help me to have more"
I know God knows my inner struggles and He is ready for me to call upon Him so that I can truly understand that all things are possible!
2 comments:
I don't recall saying that God caused any of it. What I do believe is that God allows things to happen to us that we would never choose to produce things that we cannot see yet. Do I think he causes the bad? Not at all.
I can go through this and still have faith. (Job 13:15) Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.
(Job 1:21) “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised”
I know that God is good, and I continue to trust Him. Instead of doubting HIM, I chosse to trust Him as it says in Psalm 3:5-6.
Every moment that I am alive is by the grace of God. Anything that I suffer here on earth is merciful compared to what I actually deserve. We deserve hell....but what God gives us is eternal life as long as we believe.
I BELIEVE!
“As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:10-18).
Even though I sin: Christ died for me. And no matter what happens to me here on earth, God still loves me!!!
This world is the only hell believers will ever experience, and this world is the only heaven unbelievers will ever experience.
You are a strong women with love and power. Your strength comes from opening your heart and sharing from your core. I believe in you and everything that you stand for.
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