Doubt is hard. In my experience it’s often been accompanied by shame. When I have doubts… I feel shame for having them.
Maybe you’ve felt shame or shamed for having doubt?
Doubt is built into our human experience because of uncertainty. In some ways we know we can’t control everything we will encounter in life and so doubt inevitably creeps in.
We can’t avoid it.
So, What we can do is recognize it and develop paths we will choose to navigate through it.
In other words, when we encounter doubt we can already have in mind the sort of doubts we are prone to face and have a game plan in navigating them.
The bible can offer us hope and courage that we are not left alone in our doubt. It doesn’t shame us for doubting. In fact, we see in many places a comforting for doubts and encouragement through them.
I think it’s important to segment out the types of doubt we face. First, there is a doubt in knowledge. Intellectually we face a lacking in knowledge. Then there is doubt in our emotions. When faced with doubt we experience a myriad of emotions. Fear, anxiety, confusion. Then we experience doubt in God. Will He be faithful? Will He keep his promises? Will He show up?
So, in order to face all of these doubts and emotions we can seek out truth and exercise our spiritual disciplines that prepare us to face doubt and live confidently and resolute no matter the trial we face.
Steps to resolving our Doubts
First, resolving doubt starts with recognizing it, acknowledging it, and surrendering it.
Be Honest with yourself and with God. He’s not afraid nor angry that you have doubts. Tell Him your doubts. Ask Him for Help.
In Mark 9:24 we see the cry of a man seeking healing for His son from Jesus. In that moment the man cried out to Jesus to help Him with His unbelief because just prior to that Jesus said, “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Wow! Seated in our moment of doubt is still this the opportunity to turn and believe just as this man did. What happened next? Jesus commanded the evil spirit in the boy to come out and it did.
Second, revisit the truth. Mulling over lies rather than the truth keeps most of us stuck. For some reason, most often than not, we think that wallowing in the muck of unbelief changes things. Grief can certainly live there and feeling grief has it’s own sort of progression, but we can determine and resolve to let the light of truth shine it’s bright light and bring us healing sooner than we might think.
Third, Take action and put your faith into practice. We flesh out our doubts by moving toward trust again. Ask God to fulfill prayers and seek his provision and peace when things do not pan out as you ask.
Which leads me to the fourth step.
Fourth, trust in the sovereignty of God. We often need to let our doubts resolve through washing our thoughts with truth first before we step into contemplating God’s sovereignty, but it takes a great deal of new found humility to see how God’s sovereign hand is how He is working for our good and His glory.
Trust that no matter the outcome of the uncertainty that seeded your doubts that God is truly going to work all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes. (Romans 8:28)
Then we can move into a spirit of Gratitude and Thanksgiving because we see how worthy He is of our worship and trust.
One thing is certain is that God has not shamed your doubt. He has anticipated it and provided for it in Jesus. Sometimes we need to process and hear these things aloud.
That is one big reason why I encourage others to seek biblical counseling and coaching. It has had such a profound impact on my life and it truly is among the many missing steps I desperately needed for my own personal healing journey.
Be blessed and may you be encourage to bring your doubts to the Lord and renewed in his truth and sovereign hand.