Help My Unbelief Because It Limits a God Who Can Do Anything

Unbelief limits God. It is the Nazareth Syndrome. Jesus left the Sea of Galilee with His disciples and headed toward Nazareth.

On the Sabbath, He taught in the synagogue. His audience was both astonished and curious.

To them, Jesus was a manual laborer. He had never been to a seminary. What could be the source of His wisdom, teaching, and power? He was just a carpenter and Mary’s son.

The Jews did not describe a man as his mother’s son, even when she was a widow, unless they were trying to insult him. Rumor was that Jesus was illegitimate.

Nothing special about His brothers and sisters either. The people of Nazareth did not honor and trust Jesus because they thought they knew Him so well.

They did not know Him well enough. Jesus replied to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home" (Mark 6:4 NIV).

Their unbelief slowed the river of Jesus’ mighty works to a trickle (Mark 6:5). Your unbelief limits God.

You limit Him by your unavailability (Mark 6:7-13). God uses imperfect people to bring healing to others. He has no backup plan. He will use you if you are available.

Jesus sent His disciples two by two to spread the message of healing with a clear tone of urgency. They carried only walking sticks besides the clothes they were wearing. Those receptive to their message in every village provided food and shelter.

The disciples represented Jesus. They preached repentance, drove out demons, and healed the sick just as their Master had. Their availability multiplied Jesus’ effectiveness sixfold.

They could not do everything, but they were willing to do something. Their actions demonstrated that God’s Kingdom had arrived. How could your increased availability aid the extension of the Kingdom in your community?

Mark 6:14-29 portrays boxing God out of decision-making. In King Herod, we see the struggle between good and evil. His unwise decisions submerged him in an emotional whirlpool.

The guilt from murdering John the Baptist colored his view of Jesus. He believed Jesus was John reincarnated.

Herod imprisoned John because he condemned Herod’s marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife. Herod had enough respect for him to protect him from the wrath of Herodias (Mark 6:19). He listened when John surely spoke about the need for repentance (Mark 6:20).

Those discussions could have been a turning point in Herod’s life. If he had turned to God, his life could have been transformed. He did not. It was not.

He did not act on what he heard and forfeited God’s power, direction, and forgiveness. That unwise choice led to the foolish decision to grant Herodias’ daughter the head of John the Baptist.

Daily decisions are the building blocks of a life of faith and obedience. Your decisions either give God greater freedom or restrict His operation in your life. What is your takeaway?

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God has empowered me to write His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength. It’s a free, evangelistic, devotional, and discipleship e-book. Pastors have used it in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to lead 6,090 people to Christ and teach the basics of Christianity to 15,150 people. I invite you to explore and use it in your setting.

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