Superficial Faith?

Recently, someone very close to me confirmed that they were addicted to drugs and wanted help. I already knew in my gut that this was the case, but to have that person actually admit it openly was still just as painful as if I heard it for the first time. I prayed about the situation instantly, but I could not hear Jesus's voice. I felt so distant from Him. Not that I didn't believe that He was listening or that He wasn't concerned, I just could not connect with Him intimately and hear His voice guiding me through the situation at hand. So I muddled through the week with my faithometer on zero until my Pastor reminded me about the faith of the Greek woman in Mark 7. The New King James translation reads this:

24 From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden. 25 For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” 28 And she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.” 29 Then He said to her, “For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.That scripture blessed me so! It reminded me that when we intercede on behalf of others that I must:

1. That I must diligently search for Him. Even Jesus Christ seeked solitude (verse 24) but just as the woman sought Him out desperately I must do the same, for He could not be hidden (verse 24).

2. Don't deny the problem and acknowledge that unclean spirits are real. Addiction is polluting my loved one's spirit, but Jesus, Jehova Rapha, can cleanse.

3. That I must submit to Him through worship and praise and simply say I have a problem that I cannot solve. The scripture says that she fell at his feet (verse 25)

4. Pursue Him without ceasing. The Greek woman had insurmountable faith in Christ. She begged and pleading with Him until He healed her daughter. Jesus was pleased by her persistence and He healed her body! Praise God!

I love you my dear sisters, and if your faith is low, think on Mark 7:24-30 and remember the persistent faith of the Greek woman!

God bless,

NBJ