Belief and Unbelief

Many people have the understanding that belief and unbelief are like oil and water; they just don't blend together very well.  Think about the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and how that black oil just sat on top of the Gulf waters.  In our faith walk individuals, especially newer believers, often feel as if there is something wrong with them if they experience unbelief.  The reality however is very different.  As believers - as human believers - we do experience unbelief and Jesus even addresses that for us in Mark 9:21-24  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." " 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief !" Not only did Jesus acknowledge the co-existence of the unbelief with belief but He moved into that situation with power, freeing the young boy from the demonic spirit.  He wants to do the same for us.

Instead of thinking of oil and water, I want you to think about flour and water.  If you have ever made gravy or a sauce (or watched someone make it) you most likely took a container, putting water in and then scooping flour on top.  Did you pour it immediately into the meat drippings for your gravy?  No.  You closed the container and shook it vigorously until the two ingredients were now blended and in this new state you added it to the pan and transformed the drippings into ...  tada!... gravy! Now convert this analogy into our spiritual life.

The water represents our human state, our unbelief, before we accepted Christ.  The flour represents our spirit that is a new creation through our acceptance of Jesus Christ's sacrifice for us.  Initially the flour is sitting there on top of the water, our belief is sitting on top of our unbelief, until we take action to begin walking out our new faith - that is the shaking action. The more intentional and consistently you "shake things up" the smoother this blend becomes.  But here is the powerful part - once blended you begin to add it to something (the drippings!) to transform that into something new.  As believers we become a catalyst for change and transformation in the matters of our lives, those of our families and friends, our workplaces, our social circles - anywhere God chooses to pour us out and we choose to obey Him.

The analogy continues.  Imagine that you confess believing but you continue to embrace old ways of thinking and living.  No shaking.  The flour is sitting on top of the water - the belief is sitting on top of the belief.  Now you decide to "pour out" into a situation.  Visualize pouring unmixed flour and water into those drippings.  Very lumpy gravy!  Eventually you may be able to get most of those flour lumps out, but it will take a great deal more work than it would have if you had first blended the flour and water.  So it is with our belief and unbelief.  Our power to transform is hindered by the co-existence of unbelief with our belief.  So what does that really look like?

We pray seeking God's intervention in the circumstances of our lives, but in the deep recesses of our souls (mind, will and emotions) we feel that He probably won't really move mountains for us.  In fact in the midst of our prayer we limit the outcomes of the prayer itself by speaking in very general terms.  After all if we aren't specific then we can't be disappointed when God doesn't manifest Himself.  Right?  This is where our unbelief has failed to blend with our belief to transform us into catalytic agents.  We are to be agents of change in this world - that is why we were given the power and authority of Holy Spirit. 

One more aspect I want you to consider.  When I am making gravy there are times that the consistency is not right yet.  So I have to add more of my "catalyst" - the thickening agent.  Throughout our lives, we will need to add "more" of this "belief substance" into situations.  This is where our humanity is ever present in our lives.  When we accepted Christ it was not a once and done event concerning our spiritual growth.  It is a continual process.  Our confession was only the first step which took us through the doorway.  We have to continue to blend our belief with our unbelief.  Different situations will arise that will challenge our belief and uncover a little unbelief.  Our  responsibility is to continually shake up these two so that they stay blended and will continue to have a transformational impact on those around us.

I challenge each of you to recognize those areas of your life in which unbelief may still linger and "vigorously shake"!  Embrace your walk in all of its aspects recognizing that we not only have a mandate to change, we have the privilege of ushering in change into the lives of those around us.  Go forth, my brothers and sisters, and make wonderful gravy!!!