Doubt?

Matthew 11:23

“I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

James 1:5-7

⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. ⁶But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

My opportunities for worry and doubt are very different today than when I was living with a husband battling his PTSD and multiple addictions.  These two verses of scripture were part of my mainstay.   As I experienced God’s mercy and grace, doubt began to slowly be erased by each answered prayer.   Doubt was replaced by faith and belief by God’s gracious hand.  His outpouring of the Holy Spirit and strengthening of my faith through prayer and scriptures was overwhelming.  This was the very foundation of the change in me making it possible through him to comfort my hurting husband.  By myself, it was not possible.

I am convinced this experience was the foundation of God applying his prescription for my own spiritual growth described in 2 Peter 1:3-9:

³His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ⁴Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

 ⁵For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. ⁸For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

 ¹⁰Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, ¹¹and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Don’t get discouraged when you stumble in doubt but pray.  God WILL help you back up.  The spiritual growth in your faith is an important part of living more peacefully here on earth.  It helps you ward off Satan’s temptation like the shield it was designed to be.   Spiritual growth is not a condition to enter heaven, thankfully, for our Savior, Jesus Christ has already paid the admission fee and generously given us the faith to believe it.

Start and end your day with prayer.  Believe and don’t doubt … God’s certain and unchanging promises here tell us he will give it to you.

~ by livingwithaquahog on July 2, 2009.