Monday, Aug 1, 2011
Weekend Speaker: Ben Sigman
Theme: Is It Just Me... Who Has Doubts?
Read: John 20:24-29; Jude 1:22; Proverbs 3:5
Think: Take a look at Hebrews 11:6, which is of central importance to our faith in God and our spiritual life as a whole:
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
The Apostle Paul (who’s is the author of Hebrews) is clear here: without faith it is impossible to please God. So if we succumb fully to doubt, we can often feel doubly crushed. First, by our lack of confidence in what we held to be true. And secondly, by being disappointed in ourselves for letting unfaithful thoughts overtake our faith knowing that is displeasing to God.
When we reach this breaking point, we need to slow down before we are tempted to take a step backwards and act upon our doubt and its disappointment and perhaps even the guilt or shame that we feel for having allowed ourselves to feel “duped”.
As Pastor Kip pointed out, many times the disappointment amidst our present doubt is exactly the tool the enemy, the devil, wants to use to destroy our faith in Christ. It’s a little like this: If we feel like we’ve been burned by someone who identifies themselves as a Christian, it’s tempting to associate that person’s hurtful behavior with Christ. I had this happen to me a few years ago when I dated a pretty troubled person soon after a relationship that ended badly. This person spoke and acted in ways that are still very painful for me to think about. At first I was just too hurt and angry to get past it. I saw that it would be tempting to judge this person and to assume that “Well, if this is the kind of person you are looking to build up more of in the world, God, you can count me out of that plan.”
But by really bringing my heartbreak and hurt to God, He helped me to see the brokenness in this individual who He had only begun the healing process with. Instead of focusing on the hurt I felt, I started to think of this person as an “enemy” of the peace God wants for me. So I began to do what Jesus commands us to do with our enemies: to pray for them. Whenever and wherever those thoughts came over me, I prayed and gave her over to God which helped me to move on with making healthier choices for my own life and future.
In time, the wiser more compassionate view that God offered me of that person and her position in relation to Christ did become clearer. Eventually, I saw God was not disappointed with me or judging or abandoning me just because someone who claimed to love Him had brought serious doubts and negative feelings in me. He was actually allowing that situation to grow me and form His own character within me.
Do: Remember how Jesus dealt with doubters such John the Baptist and Thomas… He directed with gentleness and compassion. Think of a person or situation that causes you to doubt God or is testing your faith. Then ask these questions to apply the three steps that Pastor Kip gave us to deal with our doubts:
1. Admit our doubts about the person or situation.
2. Doubt our doubts.
3. Begin with the faith we have – no matter how much or how little.
Pray: If you are experiencing doubt about God because of some person or situation in your life right now, consider writing and praying your own “enemy” prayer like this “God, I doubt what’s happened here really pleases you. I know that my understanding of the situation isn’t as clear as yours is. I can’t see everything that you see – but I let this situation cause me to doubt your love and your presence in my life. But God help me see that it’s your love and mercy that permits me to find your favor, and not my actions. And help me to remember during the times I’ve failed that you tenderly accepted me even with all my own shortcomings and sin. Amen.”
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.