:: in.a.mirror.dimly ::

After the transfiguration Jesus found that his disciples were unable to drive a demon out of a boy. Though they had exorcised demons before, this one proved more difficult and the father of the demon-possessed boy struggled deeply with doubt.

When the man first told Jesus about the demon-possessed boy he left out many details, but as Jesus spoke with him, he filled in some heart-breaking information about how the demon nearly killed his son. While Jesus took pity on him, the man was so desperate and struggled so extensively with doubt that he pleaded with Jesus to take pity and to help him if possible.

Jesus responded with a mix of rebuke and compassion. The man had given two outs for not healing his son: Jesus was either not able or not willing. Jesus was not satisfied with this man’s doubts. Instead he challenged him to believe. The man honestly confessed his doubts, while expressing his desire to believe.

This plea for help in the midst of doubt is incredibly comforting. Even when he know what he ought to do but found it difficult, his mix of confession and struggle with doubt enabled Jesus to act on his behalf.

Jesus emerges in this passage as both compassionate to heal and frustrated by doubt. Doubt didn’t necessarily stop him since the man truly wanted to believe. Failure to believe at one point does not rule out God acting on our behalf.

While we can’t always definitively say why certain prayers are answered and others are not, Jesus showed a persistence that should encourage us. He could have walked away when the man provided an out, but he remained and pushed this man to believe.