We glean words of hope daily from multiple sources in our walk with the Lord. When we find one that is particularly inspiring we post it to share the message that touched us and may possibly touch you too.
God's Word tells us that when we doubt, God is not obligated in any way to answer our prayers about the situation we are asking for help in.
The Bible describes doubt as being double-minded. In fact, God even says that we should not even expect an answer.
When we realize we are doubting God, and do not take the steps we need to overcome our doubt, it can be a tremendous slap to God's face, His goodness, and His character. We basically are placing Him under us as we faultily believe that we know better than the Holy God who created us.
God keeps all the world in order. He causes the sun to come up every single morning and the moon to come out every single night. He keeps the entire world, and all of creation, and the seasons, going each and every day without our help or our input.
Doubt makes us believe we would be better off in control. Isn't it ridiculously arrogant of us when we think we know better than God?
But why does God allow situations that attempt to make us doubt?
When God creates us, He lays all of our days out before Him. Nothing we go through in life surprises Him.
If He does not see value coming out of a situation, He will not allow it.
There is not a situation that God is not in total control of. God never wastes any situation we go through. EVERY situation has the ability to help us or others.
We do not have the ability to see the entire picture of our lives...and our lives are not just limited to ourselves...or even earth. No, there is a MUCH greater picture! Our lives on earth also include eternity, and our lives also impact future generations.
None of us merely exist for just the "here and now"...and all of our lives will live on through whatever legacy we leave to the generations after us.
Situations we go through in life have a much greater purpose than we could ever wrap our minds around...in fact, some situations we are presently going through may be for a future purpose.
We CAN trust God! We are here on earth not for ourselves, or even our comfort or wholeness. Comfort and wholeness are promised and come later in Heaven.
Even if it seems like life will never get better...it can! When you feel you have lost your way, that truly can be a very good thing! It is a signal to warn you that you are on a wrong path and you're trusting in yourself, or something..or someone..else, instead of God.
Doubt can be the greatest catalyst that can catapult us into a richer trust in God...and a deeper relationship with Him!
Allow your doubt to refine you!
Anytime you have doubts, it does not necessarily mean you lack faith...it means you are putting your faith in the wrong people or wrong things.
From now on, use doubt as a signal to talk to God and to get on a right path with Him! Choose today to trust in the Lord with all your heart!
Continue having heart-to-heart transparent conversations with God. Seek Him with everything you've got!
Doubt is a difficult, and miserable, place to be...and it slowly destroys our fellowship with God.
Spiritually, it is a "silent killer" of our soul.
Doubt has many origins. It can be a coping mechanism due to not understanding how to handle a tough situation...a desperate silent cry for help after a terrible experience has happened in life...or an arrogant attitude of pride that believes God owes us more.
We may doubt that God would ever want to truly work in our lives or through a tough situation we are going through...after all, who are we compared to God?
And what about the times we contribute to the tough situation we are facing due to unwise past decisions we have made? Does God just leave us stuck with our consequences with no mercy or forgiveness in sight? Not at all.
It is understandable to have feelings of doubt after a terrible loss has taken place. It takes time to come to terms with a situation that has broken your heart or impacted your life.
What about tough times where an unfair loss takes place through no fault of our own?
God works in..and through..every situation we face. Nothing takes God by surprise. He can redeem any circumstance by causing good to come from it.
Many times, He shows His mercy as He allows us to help others who later go through a similar grief experience or loss. He never wastes a trial, heartache, or hurt...as long as we submit our heartaches and doubts to Him.
I doubted God after a tragic heartbreaking circumstance took place. I could not grasp why it was allowed to happen. Doubt plagued and engulfed me. It wasn't until years later that I could realize the purpose for what God allowed.
In circumstances where something bad happens...God is so patient with us. He knows it is going to take a toll on us...and He is the answer to restoring our hope and faith.
When you take refuge in Him, He is faithful to guide you through the doubt(s) you have so you can come back to a place of complete trust.
In times when we are self-saturated and upset that God didn't do exactly what we thought was best, I believe that is directly challenging God.
We want what we want...and are upset that God doesn't bend to our plans. This kind of doubt is eventually lethal to our relationship with God...and many times, it can affect our other relationships too. In these times, we must quickly humble ourselves and repent.
It is imperative to understand that God has a plan for each and every situation or heartache we experience or go through.
If God allows us to go through a trying situation that attempts to make us doubt, or a situation that stretches us, we can trust that He has plans to increase the flexibility of ways He can use us for His glory in the future.
It is never fun to go through tough life events, and they can truly attempt to knock us out. Life challenges can tempt us to be bitter towards God.
We must realize and embrace the truth that God genuinely wants what is best for us, and doubt attempts to lead us away from God's best.
God sees the "big picture" when we cannot. When tempted to doubt, use that as a signal to have a genuine heart-to-heart talk with God. He truly works out every situation we face for the greater good.
Today, ask God to take total control of your life. Completely give Him "you". Pour your heart out to Him...share with Him all your doubts, hurts, worries, frustrations, disappointments, fears, and failures. Ask Him to grant you wisdom and to help you to see the greater purpose for your doubt and circumstances.
Ask Him to resolve any bitterness in your heart towards Him, others, or any situation.
Tell Him you would like to repent of your doubt and begin trusting Him today.
He has a heart filled with love and mercy for you!
Doubt is a very unpopular word in the Christian community. Most Christians would be afraid to admit any form of doubt they may have due to feeling guilty for having thoughts of doubt, or due to the judgment of others.
When doubt surfaces, many consider it as a lack of faith...or a lack of believing God and His Word...so many struggle silently. Through their silent struggle, they can become stagnant in their walk with God.
It is imperative to know how to handle our doubt(s) so we can experience the rich relationship with God we are fully capable of having.
Truly think about the doubts you have today.
Are you doubting that God can:
heal your broken heart...save your marriage...help you financially...forgive you...fully accept you...heal your broken soul...work in the life of a rebellious spouse or child...that He can provide...or that He can work in any other situation that is tearing you apart inside?
I have doubted God in some situations...and not even have known or realized it at the time.
There are many reasons we doubt.
Many doubt God cares. But did you know that God actually bends down from Heaven to hear our prayers, heartaches, concerns, and even our questions?
He's so good! He doesn't have to bend down to hear us, but out of His great love, He willingly chooses to. Did you know that God has collected every tear you've ever cried and written every heartache you've ever experienced in a ledger?
God truly cares about each and every heartache and heartfelt question or request we have. He cares about each of us and every situation we face...past, present, and future.
If you feel stale in your relationship with God, doubt may be the culprit.
Do you wonder how God handles doubters? In scripture, God shows a loving example of mercy to the most famous doubter, Thomas.
“One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.” Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.””
John 20:24-29
Today, truly think about and label your doubt. Ask God to reveal any doubt(s) you hold in your heart. Be completely honest and transparent. The answer(s) revealed just might surprise you.
Choose today, like Thomas, to take your doubts to God and place your doubts in His hands. He already knows what is in your heart so be honest. The reward truly is a closer relationship with Him!
There is a familiar feeling that many who are going through grief (or loss) may feel...yet many do not have the ability to label it.
It is a feeling that envelopes a grieving heart, but is so subtle that many do not even realize how it is planting itself deeply down into the roots of their soul.
Doubt.
As I am going through a tough grief experience, I couldn't figure out why I was able to still have a strong hunger for God, His Will, and His ways...yet I couldn't fully enjoy God or His Word.
I felt distracted every time I prayed or read my Bible.
As I prayed to God, seeking to conquer the distracting and stagnant apathy I felt, He revealed to me that my root problem wasn't distraction...and it wasn't apathy. It wasn't a lack of focus...or the inability to sit still either.
My root problem was doubt.
I didn't doubt God's goodness. I knew in my heart that He IS good. Even though I have been through a lot of loss, He has always given me so much grace to help me to see His goodness every single day.
I didn't doubt God's love...I know He IS love and all love comes from Him.
Anyone at anytime can look around and see amazing evidences of His astounding great love.
God revealed to my heart that I doubted not His ABILITY to work in my life...but His WILLINGNESS to act and work in my circumstances.
I doubted not what God COULD do...but what He WOULD do.
How many of us are in doubt today?
How many of us have thought we're not worthy of God acting on our behalf?
How many of us doubt God's sincerity?
We cannot afford to trust our hearts, our mere thoughts, or our feelings during times of doubt...we must test our thoughts and feelings, and train our hearts to trust God to overcome doubt.
Deleting Records of Wrongs
Every day we store up experiences for future recall—hopefully for our joy. But sometimes bad things happen that have a permanent impact in our lives. Sometimes disabilities occur as a result of someone else’s poor choices. A drunk driver may walk away from a car crash while leaving a passenger permanently affected by a physical or mental impairment. A person can bring great harm to others as a result of careless or selfish actions. How can we even begin to think about forgiving such wrongs?
Forgiveness involves the intentional letting go of the grievous acts and sins of others. You choose to not remember the faults of others. Psalm 103:8-12 demonstrates God’s intentional forgiveness. “He will not constantly accuse us” (though he would be entitled to do so), and “he has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” This is an eternal distance; the two horizons never meet. God willfully removes our sins from his sight and remembers them no more! How can we practice such forgiveness? Only the love given to us by the Holy Spirit can transform our hearts sufficiently to keep “no record of being wronged” (1 Corinthians 13:5). This kind of forgiveness is wrought by God’s grace in our hearts and is motivated by true love for others.
It is very difficult to forgive others when we constantly have only our own suffering and difficulties in focus. Consider, instead, how God dealt with offenses: “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God’s love for us caused him to sacrifice his Son to provide forgiveness for our sins. Are we supposed to forgive like that? Yes! But not in our own strength! We will naturally remember events from our lives. Some things we can never literally “forget.” But are we keeping a “record” of the wrongs of others? Are we recalling or reliving the negative details every time we see the person?
Godly forgiveness does not erase our memories, but it does allow us to erase the record of wrongs and to live in restored relationships. With time, and by God’s Spirit, we will find that love has replaced our negative thoughts about, and feelings toward, those who have hurt us.
