There’s a kind of belief that never completely disappears. It keeps you praying, even if quietly. It gets you to church, even if late. It nods along when someone says, “God is good,” even when your heart isn’t sure how to respond.
This kind of belief still exists — but it’s been bruised. You still believe, but not with the same ease or confidence. Your prayers sound more like, “God, if You still care…” than “God, I know You will.”
In Mark 9, we meet a man who has that kind of belief. His son is tormented by an unclean spirit. The disciples have already tried and failed to help. Now the father stands before Jesus, and he says:
“…if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.” — Mark 9:22 (KJV)
There’s hesitation in his voice. This isn’t bold, mountain-moving faith. This is weary faith — the kind that still hopes but expects little.
Jesus responds:
“If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” — Mark 9:23 (KJV)
Then comes the cry that becomes the anchor for this whole journey:
“Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” — Mark 9:24 (KJV)
This verse isn’t just a quote to memorize. It’s a mirror for anyone who’s prayed while bracing for disappointment. This man wasn’t pretending to be strong. He told the truth — and Jesus received it.
This is where overcoming unbelief begins. Not by pretending you’re fearless. Not by burying your questions. But by bringing your real heart to Jesus, even if your belief feels broken.
The turning point in Mark 9 isn’t when the man begs for help — it’s when he tells the truth. He doesn’t pretend. He doesn’t try to impress Jesus with strong words or polished faith. He simply says:
“Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” — Mark 9:24 (KJV)
That one line is a confession, a prayer, and a surrender all at once.
This man didn’t have a list of rehearsed promises or perfect spiritual insight. He brought what he had: need, desperation, and honesty. That is what Jesus responded to.
This kind of confession isn’t a contradiction — it’s faith choosing to show up in weakness. The father wasn’t disqualified because of his unbelief. He was received because he didn’t hide it. He brought it into the light, and in doing so, opened the way for Jesus to act.
God does not require flawless confidence. He responds to humility. The man in Mark 9 didn’t say, “I have it all together.” He said, “I believe — but I need help believing more.”
“A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.” — Isaiah 42:3 (KJV)
If you’re barely holding on, if your faith feels more like a flicker than a flame, you’re not beyond reach. Jesus does not crush the weak-hearted. He strengthens what’s real. And what’s real in this passage is a man who trusted Jesus enough to bring Him both his faith and his doubt.
This confession — “help thou mine unbelief” — wasn’t a failure. It was a doorway. It was the beginning of healing, not the end of hope.
What Broken Belief Sounds Like
Unbelief doesn’t always speak loudly. Often, it speaks quietly and subtly.
It sounds like, “I don’t want to get my hopes up again.” It sounds like, “God might help others, but not me.” Sometimes it doesn’t say anything at all. It just stops praying. Stops expecting. Stops trusting.
Unbelief can grow slowly, underneath the surface. It can feel like self-protection. It can look like caution. But at its core, unbelief is any thought or agreement that sets itself against the truth of who God is and what He says.
The Bible calls these strongholds. They are patterns of thinking that resist the knowledge of God and keep us from walking in faith.
“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” — 2 Corinthians 10:4–5 (KJV)
This passage is not about physical warfare. It is about spiritual warfare that takes place in the mind. A stronghold is anything we believe that lifts itself up against the truth of God’s Word. It can be fear, doubt, pride, or even silence. These strongholds become fortified when we stop recognizing them and begin to live with them.
Thoughts that say, “God doesn’t hear me,” or “I’m too far gone,” are not harmless. They are lies that build walls. And the longer we agree with them, the harder they are to tear down.
But we are not without help. God has given us spiritual weapons that are powerful through Him. His Word is one of those weapons. We use it to speak truth into the places where lies have taken hold. The first step is identifying what we have agreed with that does not align with Scripture. Once we recognize it, we bring it under the authority of Christ.
When the man in Mark 9 said, “help thou mine unbelief,” he wasn’t just making a request. He was breaking agreement with fear and choosing to trust Jesus. Even in weakness, he decided to turn toward truth. That is how strongholds begin to fall.
Truth You Can Say Even If You Don’t Feel It
When unbelief begins to loosen its grip, the next step is to speak what is true — even when you don’t feel it. Scripture is not meant to sit silently on a page. It is meant to be spoken, believed, and trusted. The Word of God is one of the primary weapons God gives us to fight the stronghold of unbelief.
Feelings are real, but they are not always reliable. They change quickly and are easily influenced by circumstances. The Word of God does not change. It is settled, sure, and full of power.
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” — Romans 10:17 (KJV)
This verse shows that faith grows when we hear the Word — not just once, but regularly. Hearing includes reading it aloud, praying it, and declaring it to ourselves and over our situations. When we speak God’s truth, we are choosing to believe what He has said, even when our emotions have not yet caught up.
God promises that His Word will accomplish what He sends it to do. It is not empty or ineffective.
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” — Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
When we say what God has said — even quietly, even shakily — we are participating in His work. Speaking the Word in faith is not pretending. It is choosing to agree with God instead of agreeing with fear, doubt, or silence.
Even when God feels distant, His goodness has not disappeared. Even when the answer is delayed, His promise remains true.
“I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” — Psalm 27:13 (KJV)
The psalmist speaks honestly here. He was on the edge of despair — but he made a decision to believe. That belief was not based on his surroundings. It was based on who God is.
You don’t need to wait for your feelings to catch up. You can begin today by opening your mouth and saying what God says. Speak His promises. Speak His truth. Let the Word go before your emotions. Let it shape what you expect.
A Closing Prayer for Broken Belief
God,
I want to believe You — not just in my words, but in my heart. I want to trust You with the parts of me that are tired, confused, or afraid. I bring You the little faith I have, and I ask You to grow it.
I’ve let some lies settle in. I’ve stopped expecting. I’ve stopped asking boldly. But today I’m choosing to turn toward You — even if it’s just one step. I’m asking You to meet me in this place of weakness.
Help me break agreement with doubt and fear. Replace every lie I’ve believed with truth. Remind me that Your Word is still true, even when I don’t feel it. Make me steady again. Teach me how to believe without needing to control.
Thank You for not turning me away. Thank You for being near — even when I didn’t see it.
I believe, Lord. Help me in the places I still don’t.
Amen.
The Better Portion
Trade your distraction for devotion and your busyness for belonging, through scripture-centered reflections and questions.
