Facing those doubts

Have you ever been at a place in your life where there is someone who needs to be changed? A person who is near and dear to your heart is making bad decisions or doing things that are contrary to the way they were raised or against their beliefs. It may be that child that you raised up in love and compassion. It may be another loved one who has gone wayward or a close friend who has gone astray. Well, don't feel alone as many hundreds of Christians are walking through the same types of things you are dealing with. As a matter of fact, the disciples struggled with some of the same things.
Mark 9:29 says, "He said to them, 'This kind of unclean spirit can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.' "
You see the disciples were acting on their own and believing that Jesus would back them up. They were in many ways almost arrogant in their striving to change the person in question, they were trying to chase out a demon. But, that's just the problem they were trying to do it.
So I ask you now, that loved one or close friend whom you are seeking to change. Who is it that you are counting on to make the change? How much are you truly focusing on God as the only power that can truly change them? That is teh point you need to bring yourself to. A place of powerlessness rather than power and control. When you are so exhausted and so beaten up over it you can rest assured that God feels the same way. He has been patiently waiting for you to turn it over to Him and just lift it up continually in prayer and by all means do some fasting. Fasting will empower your mind to once again trust in God. If you really think about it in fasting you are trusting God to nourish you and keep you going, food isn't doing it any longer, God is in total control of your strength and well being.
So put your total trust in God, stop lifting it up to God and then exhausting yourself to fix it by your own means. List it up to God, place them in God's hands and pray, pray, pray allowing yourself to completely focus on Him for the change.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!