“I don’t believe it!”

I wish I had a dime for every time I said that. I’d be a wealthy woman! Unbelief has been a companion for far too long. I think it’s part of my DNA.

Unbelief can be brazen and obvious: like when I’ve been really good with my eating and work-out habits for weeks and hop on the scale to see no change. UGH! I can’t believe it.
Unbelief can be deceitful and embarrassing: like when Bill and I set sail for the first time of the year with 4-5 foot waves and he shouts, “Let out the sail!” I look at the rigging and don’t remember which rope I need to grab. Then, he shouts louder, “Let out the sail!” I see the rock wall. I am tossed by the waves I believe are too big for us to be sailing and my adrenaline takes over hijacking my normal calm, cool, collected mind. We start to bicker. Bill steps up to release the rope with one easy motion. I lose it! Then I realize a couple sailing near us is about to break into applause for the show they just got for free. Ugh! I can’t believe it.

Unbelief can be crushing: like when I get the call to officiate for the funeral of a twenty-something friend who died of a heroin overdose. Anguish floods my heart. I don’t believe it.

Unbelief is a powerful force that can harbor me in blindness or drive me to become the greatest skeptic that ever lived. I can question something to death. "Where did that come from? What do you know that I don’t know? Who do you think you are?” Been there—done that! The temptation is even greater to question my own ability and motivation. Soon, an opportunity has passed me by because I was shrouded in unbelief. I didn’t believe. Not in myself, others or God.

Unbelief is something that amazed Jesus. Mark’s gospel illustrates a story many of us can identify with. Jesus went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples but he could not do any miracles there, except lay hands on a few sick people and heal them. (Mark 6:1-6) I think it’s super important for us to wrestle with why Jesus couldn’t do any miracles. We may even stumble onto why we’re stuck or not living the blessed, miraculous, abundant life Jesus died to bring us. Could it be unbelief?

There is a better way. Join us for worship at our Naperville campus this Sunday to learn how unbelief might be the kryptonite depleting the super-hero faith available to us all. Celebrate with families and attend our Children’s musical at the Oswego campus. Wheatland has so much to offer.

“When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.” Mark 6:2 NIV

-Pastor Jen