Believing vs. Doubting
Doubt is part of our faith.
But fighting doubt is important.
Doubt is part of the struggles and seasons even the most devoted Christians go through. We’ve all been in the pit of discouragement at one point in our lives. And part of that discouragement is doubt.
I was never told that doubt is part of our faith.
So, when I went through doubt, I didn't feel equipped for it. I know I’m not the only Christian who has ever felt ashamed for having doubt.
A huge part of being a healthy person is a relationship with God, and that relationship exclusively exists in a place of faith.
Faith is not only a matter of believing that God is real. Faith is also about trusting God’s hand in our lives and His plan for us.
Doubt often manifests in different ways for each of us. It makes us wonder if we are seen, known, loved, cared for, or protected. The Bible gives us all the answers we need, but putting those words in our souls feels so difficult sometimes. At the root of that is doubt.
It’s important to remember that faith is a gift from God. However, there's some collaboration when it comes to belief and faith.
It’s not only the work of the Spirit in and through us, but also our minds choosing to meditate on what is true and good.
We are in collaboration with a God who gives us the power, resources, and knowledge to change. And life change doesn’t happen without our participation.
As someone who sat in that season and doubted my faith in God, His promises, His presence, and his even His being, I wish I had known to fight back against doubt. I wish I had realized that I've been given more tools and power than I believed.
All God needs is that we ask for faith. We must then believe He will answer that prayer, even if it's not in the way you want. James says it is a choice to believe in God. I'm not saying don't doubt. Doubting is a part of faith, but it shouldn't define our lives.
Go to war with doubt so that doubt doesn’t consume you.
Don’t let doubt deconstruct everything good about you, but instead, question it. Question if your doubt is in any way true. It may be true in your experience, but you must question if it is biblically true.
Practical Things To Do When You
Start To Doubt
We need to get better at how we handle our doubts. You've got to analyze your doubt in the context of what is real and true, not only what you feel. When doubting, we need some handles that steady the ship.
Here are three simple steps to help you fight your doubt:
1. Be honest about your doubt
Name your doubt and allow your community to help you fight it. Fighting doubt alone gives the devil a chance to whisper all kinds of lies to you.
2. Bring people in to help you fight your doubt
Trying to fight doubt alone will make it even harder to sort out what's not true. Bring in people who love God and can help you sort through your doubt and remind you of the truth.
3. Get in your Bible
Fight doubt with scripture. Even when you don't feel like it, read your Bible, because this is how we fight lies. We fight lies with truth, and the Bible has a truth that speaks to every lie you believe in your season of doubt. So, write out the lie and then find a scripture that opposes that lie.
Our relationship with God is the most important thing about us, and it starts with faith.
The first step to being a healthy person is mending your relationship with God and fighting doubt. The enemy is seeking to destroy the church by stealing our faith and belief. Therefore, we have to fight back.
If an enemy is trying to steal the most sacred and important thing about us, we don't just sit there and let him do it. We fight back.
This is only a snippet from our ‘Made For This’ podcast. You can listen to the full episode at the top of this page. We’re always trying to find creative ways to connect with you, so we've set up a text message system where we can talk to you. Text the word “podcast” to 214-225-6267 to sign up.
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