阅读经文 

门徒不能把一个附在男孩身上正在伤害他的污鬼赶出来，他们因此感到自己的无能，他们也与批评他们的群众辩论，来发泄他们的失望。

究竟出了什么问题呢？他们是否需要更加积极的思维？有时我们可能听到有人说：“只要有信心就可以”或“只要把想象化为可见的现实”——这就是说，如果你真的相信它会发生，任何事情都是有可能梦想成真的。然而，这只不过是出自个人的乐观想法，它与敬虔的信心完全无关。

我们听到男孩的父亲恳求耶稣说：“我信，但我信不足，求主帮助！”这与门徒的无能和辩论的态度完全不同。因着父亲的祈求，男孩重获新生。

信心本质上不是一种自有的信念，信心乃是从神而来的多重的祝福，是藉着我们选择接受培养起来的——就像这个父亲的祈求一样。

耶稣没有因这人的谦卑和坦诚的恳求而推却他，祂同样也不会因此推却我们：“我信——但是神啊，老实说，我没有力量，我也不是时常都有把握的，求祢帮助我。”

建立信心和成为门徒往往很具挑战性，我们是全然倚靠主赐信心给我们来生活的。耶稣爱我们，所以，当我们挣扎着学习凭信心而活时，祂会欣然垂听我们向祂祈求帮助。

The disciples were not able to drive out a demon that was harming a young boy. That made them feel useless. They ended up dealing with their frustration by arguing with ­critics in the crowd.

What went wrong? Did they need to think more positively? Sometimes we might hear someone say,＂Just have more faith＂ or＂Just visualize it into reality＂—meaning that anything is possible if we truly believe it can happen. But that is just self ­powered optimism and has nothing to do with godly faith.

In contrast to the disciples＇ ineffectiveness and arguing, we hear the father of the boy pleading with Jesus, ＂I do believe; help my unbelief!＂ And from that prayer new life arises.

Faith is not first of all a matter of self-generated conviction, but a blessed mixture of a ­divine gift that is received and nurtured—as in this father＇s prayer.

Jesus is not put off by the man＇s humble and honest plea. And he is not put off by ours: ＂I believe—but honestly, God, I＇m not strong, and I＇m not always certain. Please help me.＂

Faith and discipleship can be challenging. And we are totally dependent on the Lord to give us faith. Because he loves us, Jesus is delighted to have us ask him for help as we struggle in learning to live by faith.