Faithfully Facing Our Doubts

 

As we saw last time, Yeshua often addressed His disciples’ doubts. To them, He showed His scarred hands and invited them to confront this weakness by seeking answers. He does the same with us today.

 

How do we handle our doubts?

First, let’s consider where the doubt comes from.

 

Emotional Responses

Determine whether your doubt stems from emotional responses. Perhaps you were deeply hurt by someone. We sometimes extend our distrust of people to include not trusting God. After all, we might ask, why would He allow such a thing to happen? So, we doubt His goodness when we are hurt.

 

Men such as David and Job often questioned God in their most profound moments of grief or pain. We remember Asaph, who also questioned God’s goodness when he saw the righteous suffer while the wicked seemed to flourish.

 

Doubts may arise when we see the suffering in the world, with many diseases and natural disasters. This requires us to return to the Word and contemplate the role of suffering in God’s acts of redemption.

Is there an emotional absence in your relationship with God? This can lead to doubt about His existence, especially when past and very pressing prayers have not been answered.

 

Intellectual and logical challenges

Doubt may stem from intellectual and logical challenges. Perhaps you’ve been challenged to prove the existence of God or the validity of the Bible. Perhaps you’ve been shown apparent contradictions and feel cornered without answers. You might also struggle to address deep theological issues, such as suffering and evil in the world. If someone confronts you, tell them you will study it and get back to them another time. Then go home and study. You need that defense, that reason, that logos for the hope that is in you. This will authenticate and empower your faith.

 

Moral Issues

Check your heart. Are you ready to surrender things in your lifestyle, sinful acts, or addictions that conflict with the Word of God? Could the doubt be coming from there? Sin creates that double-minded person James spoke about. Sin is what separates us from God and sin will keep us from prayer, and personal time with God because of guilt and shame. This will only lead to more doubting. Do a deep, internal examination. Confess and repent of the sin that is holding you back.

 

What else should we do?

Ask for faith. The apostles asked Jesus for more faith. The reason you don’t have it is that you don’t ask. James 4:2 says,     “Ask”. Don’t let doubts diminish your prayer time. Seek God earnestly and expectantly. Remember, it’s not all about feelings; it’s about obedience, and God will bless your obedience.

 

You will never have all the answers

Stay humble. You will never have all the answers. Think about Job. He wanted all answers, but in the end, it was his submission to the sovereignty of God that quieted his spirit. We will never have all the answers. Even the man Moses, who spoke to God face to face, as no other did, even he respected the mysterious boundaries of God when he said, “The secret things belong to the Lord.” Deut. 29:29

 

Read and Focus

Read and memorize the Scriptures specific to your area of doubt.  The Bible says that faith comes by hearing the word of God, and faith dispels doubt. Focus on your faith and not on your doubts. When David faced Goliath, you will see that David spoke more about the living God. His focus was much less on Goliath.

 

Positional Truths

Focus on who you are in Messiah, on the positional truths that you are adopted, forgiven, permanently sealed, loved, justified, redeemed, that you are holy and without blame before Him in love, that you are God’s workmanship, and that you are a new creature in Messiah.

That word new means something that did not exist before, as in something created ex nihilo. You are a new creation, fresh and unique, and you are no longer a slave to sin, and sin no longer has power over you. Let’s not doubt this incredible truth and potential we have in God.

 

Doubt may visit but faith decides who stays.