Today’s Post By: Rae Lynn DeAngelis
“‘If you can?” said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for him who believes.’” (Mark 9:23)
This Scripture passage was instrumental in helping me break free from my eating disorder, bulimia. For months I had been doing all the things I was supposed to do, but for some reason I was still not able to break free. Then God brought me to this passage in the book of Mark where a father brings his demon possessed son to Jesus to be healed. The disciples made an attempt to heal the boy, but their efforts were unsuccessful. So the father brings the boy directly to Jesus.
“Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” (Mark 9:21-22)
Jesus then responds with His infamous words.
“If you can? Everything is possible for him who believes.” (Mark 9:23)
While reading this passage a little light bulb went off in my mind, and I suddenly realized my biggest obstacle to breaking free from an eating disorder was unbelief. Deep down in my heart, I had trouble believing that God really could heal me. Apparently the boys father had a similar epiphany because look at the manner in which he responds.
“Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
Obviously the father had some belief. Why else would he go to Jesus for healing? But along with belief was also unbelief. Hidden below the surface of his heart it was this deep-seeded unbelief that had hindered his son’s healing.
Think about how many times Jesus refers to a person’s faith in relation to their healing. Although He doesn’t need us to, for some reason Jesus engages us in the healing process through our faith. God pours out His power in direct relation to the proportion of what we believe.
Once I recognized my own unbelief, I did exactly what the boy’s father did. I asked Jesus to help me overcome my unbelief. And when my faith grew in proportion to the size of God’s healing power, I found complete freedom from bulimia.
God is faithful and will do His part, but let us not forget; He requires something from us in the process: A God sized faith!
“The size of your success is determined by the size of your belief.” ~God’s Little Devotion Book
“Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you” (Matthew 9:29)
