Do you wrestle with doubt in these challenging times? Let’s be honest and transparent: as darkness seems to increase in our society, does it sometimes seem that GOD is far away? Do we wonder, “Are you really there?”
What to do when doubt comes knocking?
Recognise it. Acknowledge it. Work through it!
In Matthew 24:13 Jesus says, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” and verse 22 says, “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.”
Yeshua knows the plan of the Father, maybe not in every detail (for he also says no one knows the timing of his return except the Father). Jesus assures us that GOD will ensure His children are not lost…
So, how do we hold onto our Faith when we feel doubtful or have questions?
What do we do when doubt comes knocking?
Be honest: with ourselves, with Him.
I have been asking GOD to answer prayers because as it gets darker and darker spiritually, I want to see the hand of GOD move for a few different reasons:
- That some will be saved
- That some will be delivered
but also
3. For reassurance that He is in fact, listening, sovereign and powerful.
I wait for His response and am not disappointed (but sometimes I do have to look very deeply to see His response).
We can ask to have wealth, we can ask for victory… But when we don’t receive as we expect or ask, what happens then? Is our faith knocked? What do we hang onto, to ensure our faith holds strong?
We hold onto the Truth. And the Truth is in Jesus’ identity — the Truth is Jesus’ identity.
Did Jesus live? Did he die on the cross? Was he resurrected? Was he born of a virgin?
When you ask these questions it puts all the temporal, temporary issues to the side. What do you really believe? Who do you really believe? That Truth will carry you through.
Trying times
Times are really trying right now. We have several threats to our peace of mind: energy shortages and steep costs; food shortages and the threat of them; war crouching at the door: culture wars, internal conflict and rebellion in many nations, and international war. Some fear a pandemic. Some fear the burning of the earth…
How do we hold on to our faith? Why do we hold on to our faith?
We choose. We choose to believe because Jesus is true. But we continue in our belief because the alternative is madness. We have life; the alternative is despair. He have hope; the alternative death.
As it gets darker… the light gets brighter
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12a).
Why do you suppose he used analogies of light and darkness?
The darkness has never been so obvious as it is right now, globally. The holocaust provided a glimpse, but taking nothing away from the horror of genocide and the attempted annihilation of GOD’s chosen people, only in a portion of Europe was darkened at that attempt. Now, in a less physically violent way, the serpent is devouring the Judeo-Christian ideology and all of its Western societies through the departure from the core principles of life. Wrong has become right, and right wrong. Reality has been distorted and history changed to suit a new ideology. And so, we experience the darkness encroaching at an ever-faster rate, over an ever-widening scope.
But GOD.
The light shines bright in the darkness and is not overtaken. Indeed, the Psalms say that the darkness and the light are the same — as soon as there is light in the darkness, the light overcomes the darkness.
What do we do when doubt comes knocking?
We choose the light. We hang on, asking, seeking, persisting. We allow GOD’s light to come, to shine through us His children. We allow GOD’s voice to speak to us through His Word. We allow His love to manifest through fellowship with His peopel. We allow GOD’s Holy Spirit to manifest in presence and power as He wills.
And the darkness of doubt is overcome.
“He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12b)