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Have you ever entertained doubt in your mind? Doubt about the future, doubt about your abilities (self-doubt), doubt about your relationships, doubt about your direction? Doubt can show up everywhere and it can be debilitating.

Doubt comes up for me, especially in waiting seasons. Big dreams and vision are awesome and without them, we perish. But in the in-between-space of dream becoming reality, our minds can easily spin into, ‘Did God really say?’,  ‘How will this come about?’ and ‘Have I missed anything since it has not happened yet?’

Rarely will these kind of questions do our heart any good. We’ll start reason our way into a downward spiral, jumping to conclusions on how our future will become reality and we’ll afflict our life with self-doubt about the seeming gaps in our lives.

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I think Jesus wants to ask some of us: “Faint-heart, what got into you?” Jesus asked this question to Peter as he started to doubt and sink down into the water he just so bravely walked out on to follow Jesus.

So sweet, amazing faint-of-heart-you, what got into you?

No matter what kind of doubt has taken hold of you, it’s a gift for us that the topic of doubt is covered many times in the bible!

Why is it important for us to deal with our doubt?
God promises us, His people, that we’ll triumph over huge obstacles if we embrace this kingdom life and don’t doubt Him. We’ll be able to say to a mountain, ‘Go jump in the lake’, and it will jump! Absolutely everything, ranging from small to large, as we make it a part of our believing prayer,  gets included as we lay hold of God.                                         (See Matthew 21:21)
The bible makes it clear that there is no doubt about that we’ve all messed up. The good news is that the bible leaves no room for doubt either about the extravagant grace available for us all every moment of every day!

Let’s look on three keys that can help us combat doubt when it starts to damage our day:

1. Simple trust

In this story below, Jesus is appearing for the first time to the disciples after His resurrection. Despite the disciples’ doubt, Jesus had been true to His word. He was teaching them simple trust:

“While they were saying all this, Jesus appeared to them and said, “Peace be with you.” They thought they were seeing a ghost and were scared half to death. He continued with them, “Don’t be upset, and don’t let all these doubting questions take over. Look at my hands; look at my feet—it’s really me. Touch me. Look me over from head to toe (Luke 24).

Have you done the one thing needed? Being in Jesus’ nearness? It’s with this simple decision He can minister to our doubting hearts in the same way He did to the disciples: ‘Don’t be upset, and don’t let all these doubting questions take over.’
As we quit focusing on our own limitations and start confidently trusting Him who makes us able, there is no limit to how much God can strengthen us.
2. Wait and watch 

When doubt arises, instead of acting on our doubt, let’s wait and watch how God will come through. We might not see the bigger picture right now, but that’s where we got to trust God’s timing. A delay does not mean denial. Mark 9 tells us that there are no ‘ifs’ among believers. Anything can happen. Therefore, watch in expectation what He will do.

Wait and watch for God – with God’s arrival comes love, with God’s arrival comes generous redemption. No doubt about it – He’ll redeem you, He has bought you back from captivity to sin. (See Psalm 130:7)

 

3. Ask for help

“If you reason with an arrogant cynic, you’ll get slapped in the face; confront bad behavior and get a kick in the shins. So don’t waste your time on a scoffer; all you’ll get for your pains is abuse. But if you correct those who care about life, that’s different—they’ll love you for it!” Proverbs 9:7.
Sometimes I am the arrogant cynic who starts reasoning with myself about what’s happening in my life. As the Proverb above plainly tells, I end up slapping myself in the face instead of receiving peace to my doubting, confused heart and mind. Reasoning by ourselves is not wise. We are called to trust, not always understand.
We don’t come far by reasoning. We do come far with asking for help. Instead of trying to fight our doubts in our own strength by reasoning, we can be honest with our Father. It’s okay to ask for help and say, ‘I believe. Help me with my doubts.’ The same did a father in Mark 9 who doubted Jesus’ ability to set his son free from a demon that had made him mute. Despite the father’s doubt, God set his son free!
I pray you will know beyond doubt that God is with you and that you are part of God’s dear flock, the flock of His pasture, His human flock. (See Ezekiel 34:30) Practise simple trust, wait and watch for God, and ask Him for help with your doubts.
May the Master of peace Himself grant you His robust peace!
No doubt about it, you can stop doubt from defining your days.
In this together,
Sandra.
Photography: Lasse Hultén.
Bible references: All from the Message translation.

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