What is the Cure?

Men are not real good about seeking medical attention willingly. Usually they need a great deal of wife-coaching or something major to happen before they pursue a doctor. That is pretty much how I am. Although, as I get older, I am less prone to put things off. One never knows.....

Recently, I was diagnosed with oligopistos. It was not something my doctor caught on my most recent visit. The discovery came while I was reading. I ran across an article in a magazine I subscribe to and then when I was doing my morning reading, the obvious struck me, "Those are exactly the symptoms I experience."

I suspect I knew these symptoms where present a long time ago, I simply refused to address them. Now, getting hit twice on successive days, it must be a "sign" from God. 

Oligopistos! What am I going to do? How will I ever manage this devastating condition? The antidote is extreme and the cure rate, well - I'm not exactly sure what the cure rate is.

For those of you who have never suffered from oligopistos, or those who are not certain whether you have it or not, its common name is puny faith or little faith! It is basically a failure of the heart and soul to trust God in every situation or circumstance. Few of us are good at mastering that level of faith.

Four times in Matthew's gospel Jesus rightly diagnoses his follower's problem as oligopistos - puny faith. Whether it related to daily needs (6:30), dependency on him (14:31), or a clear understanding of his mission and those who would attempt to derail it (16:8) the issue was clear - Their faith was too small.

My faith is too small.

What is the cure? Actually I am not certain. The logical response to that question would be more faith. However faith is not like peanut butter, you don't just dip the knife back in the jar and get some more. I expect it is more like a yielding of the heart and soul - a releasing of who and what we are to who and what we are called to be in Christ. That is radical and intense.

Father, now that my condition is exposed. I am not certain what to do about it. I could say, "Grow my faith", but that may entail things I am not ready for. Nevertheless, stretch me a bit more today than you did yesterday. I truly do want "big" faith.