Join us for "Epic Meltdowns of the Bible" Week 2

Devotional

Day 1: The Unchanging Rock in a Shifting World

In a world of broken promises and constant change, we long for something solid and reliable. The shifting sands of circumstances and human frailty offer no true security. Yet, there is a foundation that never moves, a rock that cannot be shaken. God alone is eternally faithful and completely trustworthy. Building our lives upon Him provides an anchor for the soul and a peace that endures through every storm. [15:47]

“Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.” (Isaiah 26:4 ESV)

Reflection: What is one situation in your life that feels unstable or uncertain right now? How might your perspective or response change if you actively chose to trust in God’s unchanging nature in the midst of it?

Day 2: The Reality of Doubt in the Life of Faith

Doubt is a common experience, a feeling of uncertainty about God’s existence, faithfulness, or ability to help. It can be a nagging thorn or a crippling crisis that shakes our very foundation. This instability can leave us feeling divided and unsure in all our ways. Yet, this struggle does not have to be a source of shame or a final destination. Every believer will wrestle with doubt at some point, but it does not have to define our story. [31:05]

“Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:24 ESV)

Reflection: Where in your current walk with God are you experiencing the most uncertainty or doubt? What would it look like for you to honestly bring that specific doubt before God today, just as you are?

Day 3: Bringing Our Doubts into the Light

We often try to hide our doubts, fearing what God or others might think. But God already sees the uncertainty in our hearts, and He invites us to run to Him, not from Him. Honest confession, first to God and then to a trusted fellow believer, is the first step toward overcoming doubt. There is more faith in being honest about our struggle than in pretending we have none. We cannot overcome what we will not own. [51:06]

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 ESV)

Reflection: Is there a specific doubt you have been trying to manage on your own, and what is one practical step you could take this week to bring it into the light with God or a safe, mature believer?

Day 4: Actively Feeding Our Faith

Doubt thrives in isolation and on a diet of uncertainty. To overcome it, we must intentionally feed our faith. This happens by immersing ourselves in God’s Word, which produces faith, and by seeking clarity from wise teachers when we are confused. It also means continuing in spiritual disciplines—prayer, fellowship, obedience—even when our feelings are not fully engaged. We choose to feed the faith, not the doubt. [54:25]

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17 ESV)

Reflection: Which spiritual practice—like reading Scripture, listening to teaching, or Christian fellowship—have you neglected that, if re-engaged, could help nourish your faith in a specific area of doubt?

Day 5: The Bridge from Current to Perfect Faith

Doubt does not have to be the end of the story. God, in His mercy, can use even our seasons of questioning to strengthen and mature us. He invites us to cry out for help, to doubt our doubts, and to show mercy to ourselves and others in the struggle. This is a supernatural process where we actively rely on God’s power to bring us from a current, wavering faith to a deeper, more secure trust in Him. [33:45]

“And have mercy on those who doubt.” (Jude 1:22 ESV)

Reflection: How can you extend the same mercy and patience to yourself in your journey with doubt that God extends to you? What is one truthful statement about God’s character you can hold onto today?

Sermon Summary

Psalm 34 calls readers to “taste and see that the Lord is good,” and that declaration anchors a practical walk of faith amid life’s instability. The world often flips promises and relationships into uncertainty, but the only firm foundation remains God’s unchanging character. The series frames human meltdowns in scripture as moments where trust or perspective breaks, then focuses on a trust problem in Mark 9: a desperate father whose son suffers violent, speech-robbing seizures and demonic attacks. The father arrives believing God could act, yet doubt seeps in until his plea becomes conditional: “If you can, help us.”

The narrative highlights three truths: doubt does not disqualify a person from grace, honest faith frequently struggles, and Jesus meets mixed faith with compassion and power. The father confesses, “I do believe; help my unbelief,” and Jesus heals the boy despite the father’s wavering trust. Scriptural examples—from Eden’s first seed of doubt to Peter’s sinking and Thomas’s skepticism—show that every follower will wrestle with uncertainty at some point. Doubt functions like a bridge: if handled poorly it collapses, but if addressed it can lead to deeper, more mature faith.

Practical steps follow the story. First, own doubt openly before God and a trusted fellow believer; honesty carries more faith than hiding questions. Second, feed faith by hearing Scripture, staying in regular spiritual practices, and keeping faithful rhythms even when feelings lag. Third, evaluate doubts critically—don’t grant them an automatic advantage—and examine hidden sin that often fuels confusion and shame. Fourth, practice mercy: show gentleness toward doubters and grant oneself patient grace. Finally, cry out for help and submit outcomes to God’s wise will, recognizing that asking for help constitutes true faith even when belief still trembles.

The account ends with an invitation: bring doubt into the light, pursue truth through Scripture and community, and entrust struggles to the God who heals, guides, and deepens faith through the very questions that trouble the soul.

Key Takeaways

1. Doubt can deepen true faith Honest wrestling with uncertainty often serves as a bridge from a shallow, defensive faith to a more tested and resilient trust. Doubt exposes assumptions, forces reexamination of motives, and drives seekers back to Scripture and prayer for fuller understanding. When treated openly and spiritually, doubt prompts growth rather than final ruin. [33:45]
2. Confess doubts; refuse hidden shame Owning doubt before God and a trustworthy friend removes the secrecy that lets skepticism fester into bitterness. Public honesty invites prayer, counsel, and the corrective presence of gospel truth. Vulnerability proves more faithful than performative certainty. [51:06]
3. Feed faith through Scripture Regular exposure to God’s Word produces belief; Romans 10:17 links hearing Scripture with faith’s growth. Discipline—reading, listening, and gathering with believers—keeps the heart nourished when feelings falter. Sustained input rewires doubt into conviction over time. [54:25]
4. Pray, “Help my unbelief” Admitting mixed faith models true reliance: the father’s cry, “I do believe; help my unbelief,” pairs confession with petition and unlocks God’s mercy. That prayer names both trust and weakness, inviting divine power to refine and complete faith. Saying it moves the soul from paralysis into active dependence. [45:39]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:20] - Psalm 34: Taste and See
[15:19] - A World That Keeps Changing
[16:23] - Opening Prayer and Centering
[18:42] - Announcements: Love Your Neighbor Drive
[24:26] - Series Intro: Epic Meltdowns
[26:28] - Defining Doubt
[27:58] - Biblical Examples of Doubt
[31:32] - Personal Seasons of Doubt
[34:53] - Mark 9: The Possessed Boy
[45:39] - “Help Me Overcome My Unbelief”
[51:06] - How to Handle Doubt Honestly
[54:25] - Feed Your Faith with Scripture
[66:02] - Invitation, Prayer, and Response

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Mark 9:14–29 (ESV)
*[The passage recounts the healing of a boy with an unclean spirit and includes the father’s plea: “I believe; help my unbelief!”]*

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Observation questions

In Mark 9:22, the father says to Jesus, “But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” What does this reveal about the father’s state of mind?
How does Jesus respond to the father’s conditional statement in verse 23?
What is the father’s immediate response to Jesus in verse 24?
According to the sermon, doubt is described as a “bridge that connects our current faith to perfect faith” [33:45]. What does this mean?

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Interpretation questions

Why do you think Jesus rebuked the “unbelieving generation” (v. 19) before healing the boy? What might He have been addressing in the crowd and the disciples?
The father cries out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (v. 24). What does this statement reveal about the relationship between faith and doubt?
Jesus says, “All things are possible for one who believes” (v. 23). How should we understand this statement in light of God’s will and His promises?
The sermon mentions that “doubt does not have to get the last word” [33:05]. How does this story illustrate that truth?

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Application questions

When have you found yourself praying with a conditional “if” – like “God, if you can do something, help me”? What was that experience like?
The father openly confessed his struggle with belief. Who is one person you trust enough to be honest with about your doubts? What keeps you from sharing?
“Faith comes from hearing the message” (Romans 10:17) [54:25]. How can regularly engaging with Scripture strengthen your faith when you feel uncertain?
The sermon encourages “doubting your doubts” by asking why we often give our doubts more weight than our faith [59:17]. What’s one doubt you’ve been struggling with lately? How can you apply critical thought to that doubt?
Hidden sin can often fuel doubt and shame [01:00:11]. Is there an area of your life where unconfessed sin might be affecting your ability to trust God?
How can you show mercy to others (or yourself) who are wrestling with doubt, rather than responding with judgment or impatience?
Try praying, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” this week. What would it look like to bring your mixed faith honestly to God in prayer?

Sermon Clips

everything is possible for one who believes. And immediately, the boy's father exclaimed, I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief. That's so powerful. That has been in my my seasons of like sustained doubt. That has been my greatest prayer. I'm like, God, there is there is something in me that believes, but there is also this dark thing in me that doesn't, and so I do believe help me overcome my unbelief. [00:45:38] (35 seconds) #HelpMyUnbeliefPrayer

There's times where you'll feel like you're searching for him through the fog. It'll there's times where you'll feel like you're talking to him through a wall, and you're not even sure if he's on the other side listening. But here's the thing, when our feelings are telling us one thing, we need to look to the word of God and say, God hears everything. He knows all. I'm gonna say it even if I don't feel it because I know that he can hear it. He's bigger than I am and I'm gonna entrust him with my doubt. He loves you. He proved it by sending his son to die so that you can be with him forever. And so you can be confident that if you work with him and you follow him that he will walk with you through this. [01:05:03] (42 seconds) #TrustGodBeyondFeelings

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Join us for "Epic Meltdowns of the Bible" Week 2

Devotional

Day 1: The Unchanging Rock in a Shifting World

Day 2: The Reality of Doubt in the Life of Faith

Day 3: Bringing Our Doubts into the Light

Day 4: Actively Feeding Our Faith

Day 5: The Bridge from Current to Perfect Faith

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Join us for "Epic Meltdowns of the Bible" Week 2

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