This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Stormproof – Downpours of Doubt (CLICK HERE)
I Doubt it.
We have all had doubts in life. We doubt a news report. We doubt some exaggerated claim our children make. We doubt the weather report.
Doubt comes when we have a tension between two sets of information or opinions. What I believe to be true is challenged by another set of information. In a moment of doubt we are faced with deciding what we will believe and act on.
Perhaps some moments of doubt have little consequence in our life. If we don’t believe the weather report, we may find ourselves caught in a thunderstorm and a bit wet. If we don’t believe a news report, we move on and it has little consequence on our day.
Faith doubts are bigger deals.
Doubts that come into our faith life have the opportunity to do one of two things:
One, separate us from God, or
Two, solidify our faith in God.
Satan loves to not only create doubt in God and his Word, but keep the doubt growing until a person believes the lies of Satan over the truth of God. Consequence? Separation from God forever. This is a big deal.
The Lord loves to come into our place of doubt and solidify our faith. He doesn’t dismiss, condemn or leave us for having the doubt, but rather reminds us, encourages and removes the doubt with only the certainty he can bring.
Sure, he challenges our doubt and reminds us that he and his Word are always trustworthy.
Even the disciples had doubts.
Doubting Thomas is the most well-known.
John 20:24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Thomas had a lot of information. He had peers with whom he spent three years with. He had heard Jesus himself speak of his suffering and death. He had seen the miracles of Jesus. You would have thought he had enough information to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead…even though he had not seen Jesus alive himself.
Yet, he wanted to see it himself.
Jesus obliged him. But also reminded him. He didn’t have to see to believe.
But Jesus wanted him to have certainty.
He wants the same for us.
So, when we are challenged in a way different from the Words of Jesus, we can always trust with confidence, the truth Jesus gives.
Apply: What times in your faith life have you found yourself doubting? How did our doubt get answered?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your love that always wants to guide us to certainty when we have doubts. AMEN.