Dear Christian Mentor, Can you walk with me through Lent?(Day13)
Doubt
"I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” ~ Mark 9:24
Dear Christian Mentor,
I have participated in Lent many times, but it often feels like something I should do rather than an experience that draws me closer to the Lord. Can you walk with me through the season of Lent?
Dear Mentee,
Doubt is not the opposite of faith. Doubt is often evidence that you care deeply about what you believe. The father in Mark 9 did not hide his uncertainty. He brought it directly to Jesus. That is the turning point. The father’s statement — “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” — is not a contradiction. It is a confession. It reveals that faith and doubt often coexist within the same heart.
Notice what he does not do:
He does not withdraw.
He does not pretend certainty.
He does not wait until his faith feels stronger.
He brings his fragile faith forward as it is.
During Lent, we are invited into that same posture — honest, dependent, surrendered.
Faith grows not by suppressing doubt, but by exposing it to Christ.
When we voice our “Why?” and “What if?” in prayer, we are not weakening our faith; we are refining it. Your questions do not threaten God. He is inviting you to bring them closer.
Application:
Take time today to sit quietly with the Lord and ask:
Where do I feel spiritually uncertain right now?
What disappointment, fear, or unanswered prayer has unsettled my trust?
Have I been avoiding God because I feel unsure?
Write your doubts down. Then, like the father in Mark 9, turn each one into a prayer:
“Lord, I believe You are good — help my unbelief when life feels unfair.”
“Lord, I believe You provide — help my unbelief when finances feel tight.”
“Lord, I believe You are near — help my unbelief when I feel alone.”
Today’s Promise:
When we bring our doubts into the presence of Christ rather than hiding them, He meets us there. Faith matures not in certainty, but in surrender.
Today’s Fast:
Fast from self-reliance.
When doubt arises, resist the urge to solve it alone through overthinking, distraction, or control. Instead, pause and pray the simple words:
“Jesus, help my unbelief.”
~ Christian Mentor
