Stop your Unbelief
Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. ~ Mark 6:5-6
What if the very thing you are believing God for is being held back, not by His willingness, but by something quietly growing in your heart? Nothing stops the power of God in a life faster than unbelief. Unbelief is often more subtle than you think. It shows up as doubt, fear, or even the feeling that something is just too good to be true. When you begin to question what God has said or who He is, you step over the line into a place where faith is no longer leading.
In today’s reading, the passage says that Jesus could do no mighty work in His hometown. For a long time, I thought it was because there was no need there. But that just wasn’t the case. The very next verse reveals that it was because the people didn’t believe Him. They thought they already knew who He was, and in verse 3 it says they were offended.
Offense is often the root of unbelief, and it can quietly block what God wants to do in our lives. When offense takes hold, it begins to fill our thoughts and our hearts. We replay situations, we question motives, and we start to justify our feelings. Thoughts like how could this happen, or that’s not right, begin to take over. Before long, our focus shifts from God’s love and goodness to the situation.
Even as I was writing this, I realized I had recently walked through this myself. I became offended in a situation where I wasn’t given all the information about something that happened where I work. It was a confidentiality issue, and I felt like I deserved an explanation that was never given. Without realizing it, I became preoccupied with it. Instead of bringing it to God, I found myself talking about it with others, which only fed the offense. I felt justified, but that attitude was starting to come between me and my relationship with the Lord.
Thankfully, God is so gracious. He gently showed me where I was getting off track and drew me back to Him. I had to make the choice to let go of the offense and trust Him, even without answers. I realized that holding onto it was cutting off what God wanted to do in and through my life.
Here are some practical ways to start applying this truth in your daily life:
- Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart, take a few quiet moments and sincerely invite Him to show you anything that may be rooted in unbelief or offense
- Pay attention to your thoughts, if you find yourself replaying situations or feeling frustrated, pause and bring those thoughts to God instead of holding on to them and letting them fester
- Choose prayer over conversation, when something bothers you, go to God first rather than discussing it with others, this helps stop offense from taking root
- Release what you cannot control, trust that God sees what you do not see and knows what you do not know, even when you do not have all the answers
- Take a step of faith, even if it feels small, choose to believe what God says and act on it, this strengthens your trust and pushes out unbelief
Today I want to encourage you to check your heart for anything that may be standing in the way of fully trusting God. Don’t assume it is not there, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal it. If He shows you offense or unbelief, quickly surrender it to Him and let it go. God’s desire is to move powerfully in your life, and as you release those things, you make room for His presence and His power to flow freely once again.
Today’s scripture reading: Mark 6:1-6
1 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.
2 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!
3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.
4 But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.”
5 Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.
6 And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.
Journal:
- What thoughts or situations have been occupying my mind lately
- Is there any area where I may be holding onto offense without realizing it
- Have I been bringing my concerns to God first, or to others
- What is one step I can take today to choose faith over doubt
- What truth from God’s Word can I hold onto when I feel uncertain
The Daily Dose 