When My Faith Had to Be Carried
I remember a time when I was paralyzed by fear. I could barely breathe. I walked as though I was about to collapse because all I could take were short breaths. I had to hold on to things to take one step ahead.
It took friends—friends who knew what I was enduring—to intercede on my behalf. I had lost faith. I did not have anything left inside of me to offer to God.
But little did I know, He wanted my emptiness too.
He wanted my self-sufficiency, my fears, my failures, my regret, my anger, and everything that began with my, mine, and I. I had nothing to bring Him but the pieces of myself I could no longer carry.
Then, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, I remembered the paralyzed man whose friends carried him to Jesus. They had the faith he needed when he could not get there on his own. They did not just pray from a distance; they tore through the rooftop and lowered him down to the feet of Jesus.
I also remembered Peter and John at the temple gate, when they saw the lame man sitting there. Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Peter gave what he had—faith in the name of Jesus—and the man was healed.
I confess that there are times when my faith is shaken to the core. But I am so grateful that the Lord sends people who have the faith I need when I cannot lift myself. He sends intercessors. He sends friends. He sends someone willing to carry the mat, tear through the roof, speak the name of Jesus, and believe when I am too weak to believe for myself.
Whatever you are holding on to, give it to God; let Him show you His Glory.
So tonight, I offer the faith I have to those who need healing in Jesus’ name.
I pray for the healing of unbelief. I pray for faith to rise again. I pray for restoration, deliverance, divine intervention, divine guidance, and rest in the Living God, who takes over every situation and is exalted above every fear, every diagnosis, every grief, every wound, and every impossibility.
Lord, forgive us for the times we have tried to carry everything in our own strength. Forgive us for clinging to self-sufficiency when You were inviting us to surrender. Forgive us for unbelief, fear, anger, and regret that kept us from trusting Your goodness. Teach us to receive help when we are weak, and teach us to become the kind of friends who carry others to Your feet.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Scripture References: Mark 2:1–12; Luke 5:17–26; Acts 3:1–10; Mark 9:24; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Psalm 46:10.
Acknowledgment: Shaped with assistance from OpenAI’s ChatGPT for editing, structure, and devotional clarity.