Quote from Forum Archives on December 1, 2010, 5:31 pm

Posted by: edwrather <edwrather@...>

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The Burning Bush Devotional
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Classic from 2002

12.01.10

Growth through Crisis

Jesus said to him, 'If you can believe, all things are possible to him who
believes.' Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with
tears, 'Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!' - Mark 9:23-24.

This man brought his son to Jesus for help. Why? There was nowhere else for
him to turn for help. From childhood, his son had suffered, and no one had
been able to help; even the disciples had been unable to help. But still the
man comes to Jesus to seek His help. You probably have been there at some
point in your life, or you may be there now. You are at the end of your
rope, and your fingers are losing their grip. You're just not sure how much
longer you can hold on, and you call out to the only One who has the power
to help.

The man who brought his son to Jesus was blessed with the miraculous healing
of his child. However, if you look closely at the story, you see in verse
26, that at first everyone thought he had died. But then Jesus lifted him
up, and "he arose." The man who had prayed for Jesus' help for his unbelief
received help. No doubt his faith was strengthened far beyond what he could
have ever dared to hope. Also, the faith of others was strengthened,
including onlookers, and that of the disciples. When you grow through
crisis, others will grow as well.

It seems I have had many crisis situations in my life, in which I turned
toward God, and not away from Him. The first one occurred early in our
marriage, and early in my life as a Christian. I was far from God, and my
wife told me she was leaving me. I prayed for the first time in a long time,
and she came home at the end of the week. My prayer life was strengthened
incredibly. The second time I was in a crisis with temptation. I prayed; God
delivered me, and I grew so much closer to Him. The third time I was in a
crisis when my son was born with Down Syndrome. I prayed for him to be
healed, and to be made "normal," but God answered my prayer by saying He
would be with me, and He has been with me. My son has been one of God's
greatest blessings in my life. Not an easy blessing sometimes, but still a
blessing that continues to draw me nearer, and nearer to my Lord.

I could tell you of more recent crises, but I think you can get the picture.
I know of many, including friends who during times of crisis have turned
away from God, and the result has been a lack of growth in their lives. If,
however, during our times of crisis and despair, we turn to God; we will
grow, and He will use it to bring about good in our lives and the lives of
others. Allow God to "help" your "unbelief."

Copyright © 2002-2010. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the
devotionals on a non-profit basis with source credited. The Burning Bush
website has been online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email
version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent. Ed Wrather began
writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of these first
devotionals was primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent to prison
facilities throughout the United States and Canada.

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