14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
When the disciples ask why they were unable to heal this boy, Jesus tells them that it is their lack of prayers, that inhibited them from driving out the demon. He is telling them that their pride and inability to see their weakness is what caused them to be unsuccessful. If we take a look at verses 23-24, at the conversation between the father and Jesus, Jesus tells the man that if he believes he can heal him. The Father's response is " I believe; HELP MY UNBELIEF". It is at THAT moment his son is healed. I can just feel this father's pain, and helplessness in his plead to Jesus. He is basically saying " I have my doubts, and cannot muster up enough faith, but help me with my unbelief. He admits his unrighteousness and that he is helpless, and Jesus Heals.
Jesus does not come to us and tell us that we first need to become righteous, and be free of doubts before we can come to him. We experience his presence when we come to him in our weakness, and doubts.
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