How to Believe God is Good in Our Doubts
How to Believe God is Good in Our Doubts
Do you know what life feels like when chaos and confusion swirl around in your hearts? Our lives are often marked by deep turmoil, like the disciples on the rough waves of the sea. How can we see through the mist of hard situations and see God’s goodness? Find out how to believe God is good in our doubts.
What if God’s goodness was more than a sweet sentiment, but actually something to cling to when clouds continue? I’ve always loved the clouds here in Honduras. Somehow they just look more alive in the wide blue sky above the unfamiliar mountains. Clouds represent both the beauty of creation, but also the power of storms. Clouds can cloak our view, and clouds bring storms.
Storms are like doubts. They keep us from seeing the next step and we struggle to find our footing. The disciples in Mark 4:35-41 faced a storm and Jesus asked them, “Where is your faith?” You see, doubts are not necessarily bad, but they become a problem when we adopt them as truth. Hannah W. Smith said the cure for doubt is this:
“Pay no attention to them {doubts} whatever, but treat them with the utmost contempt. Shut your door in their very face, and empathetically deny every word they say to you. Bring up some ‘It is written,’ and hurl it after them.” – Hannah W. Smith
What has God said about us? That is the truth! Where has God said these things? In the Bible! Those doubts are not yours, so don’t open the door to them. Instead, listen to God’s Word. Memorize it. Set it before you. Take these four things and do them when doubt would come knocking.
Four Ways to Shut the Door to Doubt in Our Lives
1. Set. – Isaiah 26:3 says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” The word “stayed” means to set or place. It means we put or rest in this thing. What are we to rest in? God. Specifically, we will think about who God is and we will find peace. The doubts would say God is not good, kind, loving, or merciful. The truth of this promise is that God is all of those things and it is worth the effort it takes to set our minds on Him. Our minds decide, not our feelings.
2. Believe. – 2 Corinthians 5:7, James 1:6 all mention faith. It is hard to have faith, especially when doubts are knocking at our door. They will question everything and sometimes they are loud! But faith is stronger. We don’t need to have “big” faith, we need to have faith in the right thing. I always thought I needed more faith, but in reality I need more Jesus. I need to be so connected with Jesus that my tiny faith will grow into something strong enough to withstand the doubts. So friend, connect with Jesus and you will find the faith you need!
3. Prayer. – Philippians 4:6-7 says prayer is the pathway to peace. Anxiety will come. Doubts, worry, and sinful thoughts will run us down when we least expect it. That is when we go to God directly in prayer. No, we will not always be successful, but we can be faithful in running to God with our prayers. God is listening, God hears, and God answers! Doubts have no footing when we pray to our Heavenly Father who hears us.
4. Come. – Matthew 11:28-29 tells us of the heart of Jesus. In his book, “Gentle and Lowly” Dane Ortlund proposed the idea that these two verses define Jesus’ heart. I can testify that they speak deeply to my own heart and other passages confirm Jesus is indeed “gentle & lowly.” Coming to Jesus might feel like a “co-op out” but in reality, Jesus says we come to Him and find rest. Our doubts stir up nothing but worry and anxiety. Jesus said we could come to Him and He will give us rest. Rest from our doubts. So come to Him. Sing to Him. Read about him. Pray to Him. Just come.
Tweet ThisThe goodness of God in our doubts means we go to God who is waiting to answer our doubts. He is ready with comfort, peace, and hope. Our doubts do not have the final word. God’s goodness has the final word!
Let me leave you with this quote from Hannah Whitall Smith again, Listen to what Smith says in her book, “The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life,”
“Believe He {God} is faithful, not because you feel it, or see it, but because He says He is. Believe it whether you feel it or not. Believe it, even when it seems to you that you are believing something that is absolutely untrue. Believe it actively, and believe it persistently.”
The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life by Hannah Whitall Smith