by Ramesh Richard

Disbelieving the God in whom I believe is likely the most paradoxical of all my sins. My only comfort in this public acknowledgment of a private pitfall is that I am not alone. But that doesn’t make it any less a sin.

This morning I wrote ten characteristics of typical unbelief as found in Psalm 78:9–20. Israel’s unbelief manifested as:

  • Forgetfulness of all God had done
  • Ingratitude for all God had done
  • Doubting His ability and power
  • Questioning His goodness and love
  • Continuing in rebellion despite judgment (v. 17)
  • Fearfully turning back despite being equipped (v. 9)
  • Asking wrongly—according to narcissistic desires
  • Diminishing the incredible quality of God’s wonders
  • Bad-mouthing God—what He has done is never enough (v. 19)
  • Focusing on what God “apparently” cannot do (v. 20)

Israel expressed both kinds of unbelief—active and passive—during their wilderness experience directly after the phenomenal exodus from Egypt and after they had already received judgment. Looks like unbelief generates more of its kind.

While I don’t normally exhibit active unbelief—open rebellion and disobedience, I do easily fall a prey to passive unbelief—forgetfulness, ingratitude etc. The antidote to this lack of belief, or a lackadaisical half-belief is regular recommitment to full-belief in the God we believe in.

The prayer below is part of my recovery tactic from personal unbelief. I have compiled, edited and added to a prayer found from several fine and recent writers on the matter. At the climax of my graduation talk, I invited the 25 graduates of the 2013 Dallas GPA to join me in it. They stood along with other vocational Christian workers and read aloud this powerful prayer of surrender and abandonment to Almighty God.

As you read, even pray through it, do use the prayer to examine your unbelief. I have one line that is particularly difficult for me—unbelief rears up again! I would be open to sharing it with you if you let me know which part you find most difficult to pray. And if you would like a copy of this prayer of commitment in the form of a bookmark, we would be glad to send it to you. Send us an email by clicking here and write the word “bookmark” in the subject line along with your contact information in the body of the email.

On the other side of that bookmark you will find a most requested practical and spiritual gift: my dad’s daily prayer for his family over the last two decades. Our large family system has been quite protected by God’s faithfulness to his prayers. You will be enriched by its depth too. We gifted the bookmark to guests at graduation featuring the theme Crossing a Milestone, Climbing the Mountain—the visual background to the prayer is above.

A Prayer of Commitment

Lord, I give myself to fully follow You, whatever it may mean. Take every aspect of my life and use me for Your purposes to glorify Your name. I’m not here on earth to do my own thing, to seek my own fulfillment or my own glory. I’m not here to indulge my flesh, to increase my possessions, to impress people, to be popular, to prove I’m somebody important, or to promote myself. I’m not here even to be relevant or successful by human standards. I’m here to please You.

I’ll do anything You want me to do as long as You lead me; go anywhere You want me to go since You will go with me; and say anything that You want me to say as long as You will fill me. Teach me, guide me, empower me as I climb the ministry mountain.

Father, there isn’t any gift You have for me I don’t want. If You want me to wait to accomplish Your work, I will. If You want to use me in a way that I’m not used to, I yield myself to that. I trust You, Lord, to do that which I cannot do for myself. Today I affirm my love for You, my God, and I choose to live and minister in Your way for the rest of my life.

To the glory of the Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the name of the Lord Jesus, for the very best of many everywhere, I ask these things. Amen.

(Sources: Ruth Myers-Cindy Jacobs-Dale Schlafer-Ramesh Richard)

My temptation to unbelief lingers. I must beware falling into this grievous sin. I repented of each bullet on the unbelief list this morning. My only recourse is confession of sin, since He is faithful and just to forgive me of all my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9), including unbelief in the God I already believe in. Is this why Christians through history have famously echoed the father who cried out to the Lord Jesus, “I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24)?

Please feel free to request an audio version by clicking here, and we will send you a link or a CD).