Doubt is not unusual, even for a Christian. You may have questions such as, "Is the Bible really true?" when you hear someone attack the authenticity of God's Word. When you feel that God has not answered your prayers, you may wonder, "Is God real? Does He really answer prayer?" When confronted with the reality of your own selfish desires, you may question, "Has God really saved me?" Doubts can throw you off balance and interfere with your life. James, a New Testament writer, mentions the "double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." (James 1:8)
The remedy for doubt is faith Faith is simply and profoundly defined in Hebrews 11:1 as "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Every person has faith. The question is: In what do you place your faith? Is it in your own ability? Or is it in God? Faith in anything but God opens the door for doubt.
FAITH PRODUCES A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP TO GOD
"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26)
The first step in combating spiritual doubt is to place your faith in Jesus Christ. This is the way you are justified before God and rescued from the sin that separates you from Him. God is perfect and can't tolerate evil, yet He wants to have a relationship with you. So God provides a way that you can be made right before Him. He did this through the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. When you accept Jesus' death and no longer put faith in your own ability to save yourself, you are saved and become a "child of God."
Even those who have already trusted Christ are sometimes plagued by doubts. In many cases, this is because of disobedience or indifference to spiritual growth. God's Word promises that you can be forgiven from sin and restored in your relationship with God, just by asking for His help.
FAITH TRIUMPHS OVER LIFE'S ADVERSITIES
"...who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:5-9)
No Christian is immune to adversity. Job observed, "Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward." (Job 5:7) God won't shield you from all trouble, but He will guard and help you when you face problems. God will also work out His own purposes in you, which is ultimately for your own good. (Romans 8:28)
When overwhelmed by the circumstances of your life, you can have faith that God cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7) When you trust God during adversity, you find peace and confidence that only comes from Him. You can trust God to be gracious with you and help you, regardless of your circumstances.
Sometimes it's hard to have faith during difficult circumstances. When experiencing disappointment, it's important to look beyond your circumstances. While you often focus on your ability to "have faith in God," it's comforting to know that God Himself is always faithful. 2 Timothy 2:13 says, "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself." You can be confident that just as God has been faithful in the past, He'll be faithful to care for you now and in the future. This is the character of God.
With your heart and mind willing to be taught by the Holy Spirit, your doubt will dissipate and your faith and commitment to God will be deepened. God's Word helps strengthen your faith and gives you hope for the future.
FAITH IS NURTURED THROUGH GOD'S WORD
"Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men." (Acts 17:11-12)
The Bible is the perfect Word of God. It teaches you about salvation and also how to live your Christian life. In the Bible, you see that faith is a spiritual discipline that conquers doubt. Your faith can grow when it is nurtured with the Word of God.
Second Timothy 3:15-17 says: "from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
The Word of God is essential for every part of your life and is relevant to every generation. It's a dynamic force, penetrating to the very core of who you are. God's Word renews and transforms your mind. This is important, because when you doubt, you need to have somewhere to turn. Your mind...and Satan...deceive you with doubt. When you doubt God or His care for your life, you can depend on the Bible as the ultimate source of truth. Spending time studying God's Word will strengthen your faith and help you overcome your doubts.
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