Back to faith!
“The law of the LORD is perfect…The testimony of the LORD is sure” (Psalm 19:7).
Moments of doubt come to every believer occasionally.
Perhaps we’ve prayed about a problem, but the solution falls through.
Maybe we’ve obeyed God, but our situation worsens.
Or a criticism might make us question our ability to carry out His plan.
When doubts linger…
– they can affect our relationship with God in a variety of ways:
Doubt affects our peace with God.
Believers are to live by faith, which is the only way to please God.
Doubt short-circuits faith and causes insecurity.
Doubt affects our prayer life with God.
Our prayers become ineffective when we fail to trust God.
The impossible becomes possible only for those who believe God and don’t doubt.
Doubt affects our programs for God.
The Lord asks Christians to do God-sized tasks.
But He doesn’t leave us to our own devices.
He promises the Holy Spirit will empower us to fulfill His plan.
When we doubt, we’ll either fail to answer God’s call or stop halfway through.
Doubt affects our provisions from God.
It produces discouragement, which crowds out our confidence and hope in the Lord.
“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:6-8).
Doubts come from a variety of sources.
These include-
– unconfessed sin,
– lingering guilt,
– continued disobedience,
– misplaced focus or
– ignorance of the truths of Scripture.
When doubts surface-
– follow these simple steps:
First-
– Realize which part of your thinking is causing you not to trust God!
Second-
– Recall a time when He faithfully carried you through a trial!
Third-
– Remember God’s promises or attributes that point the way back to faith!
(PA)