No Room For Doubt

Hello everyone. I hope you all are doing well. Since this is my first blog for 2023, I will say Happy New Year to you all!

Today I would like to talk a little about doubt. Sometimes whenever we're trying to hold on and believe God for certain things, we can still have just a little bit of doubt in the back of our minds. We can be trying ever so hard to believe that God is going to deliver in whatever way we need Him to, but there's still that little thought that says "what if He doesn't answer, or what if He doesn't do it?".

As I began to study a little on doubt, one of the verses I came across was John 20:24-25.

"Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"

But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."

So, Thomas just came right out and said he simply refused to believe unless he saw Him and the evidence for himself. He wanted proof that it really was Jesus. He had that traditional mentality of "I have to see it to believe it."

How many times have we felt like that ourselves? How many times have we felt like I'm not going to believe anything unless I have some type of proof. Oftentimes, we are afraid of having "False Hope". We're afraid of getting our hopes up because we don't want to be crushed if things don't work out. The thing we fail to realize is, if our hope is in the Lord, "false hope" is nonexistent. There is no such thing as false hope if we're putting our hope and trust in the Lord.

In verses 26-27 of John chapter 20, it says:

"A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

Stop doubting and believe. That's what the Lord is saying to us today. Jesus let Thomas see all of the proof he needed. He showed him His hands and His side just to prove to Thomas that it truly was Him. Then He told him to stop doubting and believe. I can't imagine how many times the Lord has said He wishes that we would stop doubting Him and just believe.

Let me be the first one to admit that I have a terrible time sometimes letting things go. I pray, then I continue to worry and wonder how and when the Lord is going to work things out. I begin to wonder how can I fix the problem myself, or even if I'm being punished for something I did wrong. The Lord probably shakes His head and says, "When is my daughter going to stop doubting and just believe?" Where is her faith? Doesn't she know what My Word says? Doesn't she believe what the Bible says?

John 20:30-31 says:

Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."

All of the parables that we read about, are just a few examples that were left on record for us. These were left to help our faith in Him. Reading and studying these scriptures should help encourage us as we go through our trials and tribulations. Unfortunately, we sometimes allow our circumstances to overshadow the promise and hope we have in God and in His Word.

Another scripture I found rather profound was Mark chapter 9. When you get down to verse 17 it talks about a man that took his son to see Jesus. He was possessed by a demonic spirit. He was deaf and mute, but the spirit would cause him to have convulsions. The verses I would like to emphasize is 20-27.

Mark 9:20-27

"They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. And He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. "It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!" And Jesus said to him, " 'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief." When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again." After crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, "He is dead!" But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up.

In verse 22 the boys father said, but if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us. Then Jesus responded by asking "If You can?", All things are possible to him who believes. I would imagine that the boy's father was so much in despair, that he didn't even realize what he was truly saying. I would like to think that maybe for a moment he forgot who he was talking to by asking Jesus if he actually could do anything. We all need to remind ourselves of Jesus' response to the man. "All things are possible to him who believes."

Then the man cried out that he does believe, but he needed help with his unbelief. My goodness....how many of us can see ourselves whenever we read that verse? I know I definitely see myself. Lord, I believe that you can but please help my unbelief. How many times have I prayed, Lord I know You are able, but will you please answer my prayer? Lord, do you want to help me in this situation? I have to ask myself, do I sometimes forget exactly who it is I'm praying to? Do I forget what God can and will do for me?

1 Peter 5:7 specifically says, "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." I don't think He would tell us to cast ALL of our cares upon Him, if he didn't intend to help us with every situation.

Psalm 34:19 also says, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all." I don't believe He would say anything He doesn't mean. We need to take Him at His Word. Whenever we find ourselves beginning to doubt if things are going to work out, we have to be like the boy's father and ask God to help our unbelief. There's absolutely no room for doubt. We know that Hebrews 11:6 says "Without faith it is impossible to please Him". We have to believe every word He says. We have to believe every miracle He performed was true, and that He still performs miracles today. God never changes, and His Word will never change. He will do exactly what He said He will do. It's up to us. It's just like the phrase that says "the ball is in your court". The ball is definitely in our court. Are we going to believe or not? If we aren't going to believe, then don't look for results, but if we are going to believe, then look for results. We need to have great expectations because of what His Word says.

I encourage you today, if you think you have any doubt in your mind, please pray and ask God to remove any and all doubt you may be experiencing. No matter how hot the fire may be, keep believing and expecting God to deliver you in your situation. Don't be ashamed to ask God to help your unbelief....because your deliverance is hinged upon your belief or doubt.

God bless!