Doubting

Question: in your Christian walk, have you ever had a tendency to doubt?  I think we all run into this problem at some point in our lives.  I think some doubt comes from prayers not being answered the way we would like them answered.  Sometimes we are not physically, mentally, psychologically or emotionally prepared for positive thinking so negative thinking resulting in doubt occurs.  Some people seem to struggle with negative thinking and have a hard time getting into the positive realm.

The Word says this in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

When we become anxious, or worried, doesn’t that show doubt in a believer’s life?  When I think of Peter getting out of the boat and walking on the water to Jesus, he had no doubt, but when he took his eyes off Jesus and put them on the storm that was raging all around him, what happened?  Peter started to sink!  Why?  It was because fear had set in and doubt resulted, and Peter had to be rescued or drown.  

Sometimes doubt happens because we perceive the storms in our lives as bigger than our God.  When that happens, we lose all perspective and doubt rears its ugly head and we give into it.  We love to hear, or at times read, the stories about how the Lord healed and delivered His people in the past and used people in miraculous ways, but we have a real struggle believing that the Lord will, or wants to, use us in our day.  

Another problem is that many believers don’t read the Bible daily and some not at all.  If this is the case, how will they know the promises of God to be able to believe them?

The Psalmist said this in Psalms 119:9-11, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”

Memorizing the Word of God is so important, it will help keep us from sinning but first we need not only to memorize it but we need to put it into practice in our lives.  This will also be a deterrent to doubt creeping into our lives.

The Word says this in Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

This can be a problem with many who doubt because they are not hearing the Word or studying it themselves.  I believe every Christian has a responsibility to study the Word and listen to it.

The Bible says this in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  

Then there are those that will only believe if they see with their own eyes.  You may remember this saying, “seeing is believing,” and with some people that is the only way they will believe.  If you have spent some time in church and in Bible study you have heard of doubting Thomas.

It is found in John 20:24-29, “Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’

So he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.’

And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you!’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.’

And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’

Jesus said to him, ‘Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’”

Thomas wouldn’t believe what the other disciples told him about Jesus being resurrected until he saw for himself.  The problem with this is, as the Word says in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Doubt will always hinder a person that has to see it to believe it, just like it would have hindered Thomas if Jesus didn’t show up and prove to him that He was alive.  The blessings come when we believe, without seeing, so don’t be a doubting Thomas.  Something to think about!  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!