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Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt


 "Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe." ~ Augustine


"I doubt they'll get my order right."
"I doubt it will be here on time."
"I doubt my voice will even be heard"
"I doubt they'll notice."
"I'll believe it when I see it."


⁇  Look at all the ways we doubt during a typical day.   Doubt is such a powerful word.  According to the Oxford dictionary, that's when we are uncertain or don't have a lack of conviction.  Of course there's so many frivolous times it doesn't matter, but when it has to do with our faith, it's life-changing.



⁇ The devil loves to sow seeds of doubt and despair.  From the Garden of Eden, he loves us to question what God has promised to us, what God's intentions are, who God is.  Just as Jesus answered the devil in the wilderness, we can always look to God's word for truth and answers.


 From the devil: Does God really love me? 
From God:  John 3:16


 From the devil: Does God really want what's best for me? 
From God: Jeremiah 29:11


 From the devil: Does the Bible really apply to me? 


 From the devil: Does God really forgive me? 
From God: 1 John 1:9

 From the devil: Is God really beside me? 
From God: Psalm 23


Doubt is not unnatural, and Jesus spoke about it several times, so He must have known we would need to hear His guidance.  He cursed a fig tree for not bearing fruit (representative of Israel rejecting Him as Messiah)-

"And Jesus told them, 'I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don't doubt, you can do things like this and much more.  You can even say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen.' You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it."  Matt 21;21-22




⁇ When Peter started sinking in the water after taking His eyes off of Jesus, 

"Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him, 'You of little 
faith,' He said,'Why did you doubt?" Matt 14:31

But God can handle our doubt - He doesn't curse us.  Look how Jude, the brother of Jesus, encourages us-

"And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering." Jude 1:22

God gave us His Spirit to combat doubt and the devil-

"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."  2 Tim 1:7

⁇ When life comes at us, our human nature is to doubt.  But our response can be Christ-like:

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind." Jam 1:5-6

God is good, beyond a shadow of a doubt.

✙ Heavenly Father, You know us so well.  You are so merciful when we doubt and You gently guide us back to You.  Help us to dig our roots deeper into You through Your Word when we doubt by resisting the devil's attempts to thwart our relationship with You.  Amen.



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