Lent 2025 Day 6

Henri Nouwen, Writer and Theologian
Mark 9:24 | 1 John 2:1-6

Rachel Held Evans was a writer, thinker, and advocate for a more inclusive and expansive faith. Raised in a conservative evangelical household, she was deeply committed to Scripture but found herself wrestling with difficult questions about faith, justice, and the church. She refused to settle for easy answers, choosing instead to lean into the tension of doubt and belief, conviction and uncertainty. Through her books and public witness, she created space for others who felt like outsiders in the church, especially women, LGBTQ+ Christians, and those who had been wounded by religious institutions.

In Mark 9:24, a desperate father brings his son to Jesus for healing, crying out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” This raw, honest plea captures the paradox of faith—a tension Rachel Held Evans knew well. She reminded us that faith is not about having all the answers but about showing up, asking hard questions, and trusting that God is big enough to handle our doubts. Like the father in this passage, she encouraged others to bring their uncertainty before God rather than hide it in shame.

1 John 2:1-6 calls us not just to believe in Jesus but to walk as He walked. Rachel’s faith was not stagnant; it was active, constantly moving toward greater love, justice, and inclusion. She believed that following Jesus meant listening to the voices of the marginalized, advocating for those whom the church had too often silenced, and embracing a faith that made room for complexity and mystery.

Lent is a season for honest reflection, a time to bring our questions, doubts, and hopes before God. Rachel Held Evans’ legacy reminds us that faith is not about certainty—it is about trust. It is about walking forward, even when we are unsure of the path, believing that Jesus meets us along the way.

Reflection:

• How do you relate to the father’s cry in Mark 9:24? Where do you feel both belief and unbelief in your own faith journey?
• What does it mean to “walk just as Jesus walked” in your life today?
• How might you create space for others to wrestle with faith in an honest and loving way?

Breath Prayer: Inhale: I believe… Exhale: …Help my unbelief.

May this Lenten season give us the courage to ask hard questions, to seek justice, and to trust that God’s love is always big enough to hold us.
Amen.