The Struggle Between Faith & Doubt

God Inspires Us With These Words In James 5:11  

Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.  

How’s your faith?

Are we guilty of checking our minds at the door before we enter the sanctuary each Sunday?  Are we mindless while sitting in the pew?  Do sermons cause us to go brain-dead and become emotionless regarding the week’s activities and feelings?

Has church become just a place to sit back, close our eyes and escape from the struggles we have faced throughout the week?  Or, are encouraged by the Word of God that God truly cares about our life adventures and has an answer for those that trouble us?

Paul encourages Timothy to Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, where-unto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses (1 Tim. 6:12).   The life of faith is truly a FIGHT andETERNAL LIFE is a promise from God.

Living a life by faith is one of life's greatest battles.

God is capable of handling any situation we face in life, yet we fret that He won't take care of what we are going through.  We believe Him and His word, yet we are anxious over the many problems that assail us.  

What are some worries and problems we face?

We anguish about health, money, jobs, neighborhood, reputation, relationships, children, mates, or loneliness.  You name it and it can troubles us.

However, there is a positive side to all this.  It shows us that we are capable of thinking, feeling, and recognizing that we don't have all the answers and that we have to look to our Lord who is capable of guiding and providing answers to all that assaults us.

A Father's Battle Between Faith and Doubt

In Mark 9:15-29 a father faced a physical/spiritual problem with his son and the disciples were unable to help.  The father's battle was between faith and doubt, and hope and despair.

The son had a dumb spirit that assailed him and the father sought out the disciples for help, but the disciples were helpless because of a lack of faith and an ineffective prayer life.

Mark 9:23ff - Jesus said unto him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes.  And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.  When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.  

And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.  But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.  

And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?  And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. 

The father was wrestling with faith (belief) and doubt....He felt hopeless and helpless.

OVERCOMING DOUBT

Let’s be honest with ourselves, one another, and with our Lord....we all struggle with doubt.  However, as we read scripture, we find HOPE.  Jesus offers the solution to overcoming doubt -- 

Prayer believing that God will answer, 
but at the same time asking God to help us with our doubt (unbelief).

This begs the question, Do I really believe in prayer?  This question is answered by looking at our prayer life.  What is it like?  When, how much time, what do I pray for?  Do I only pray when life’s struggles assail us or is it a daily even when things are going well?

Our lives are often shaped by the hammers of fear, adversity, anxiety, 
and despair on the anvil of God's love through prayer and encouragement.

LACK OF FAITH AND HOPE ARE A DEEP ROOT IN ONE'S LIFE

Lack of faith and the presence of doubt are a deep-root caused through years of failed self-effort.

I was reminded this past week of the truth of how our lives are affected by deeply rooted character flaws.  I’m in the process of putting in a French Drain around the foundation of two walls.  In order to put in the drain, I have to dig a trench deep enough to accommodate a 4“ drain pipe and several inches of gravel.  A couple of days were agonizingly spent digging out the root balls of several bushes.  What a pain!

• Not Trusting God With My Finances

1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 

• Anger & Hatred Towards Others 

Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 

Lack of Faith Can Led to Idolatry

Anxiety reveals the presence of idolatry such as in worrying about money.

Mat 6:24-32  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 

Answers to Overcoming Doubt and Fear

• Seek God and His righteousness and Don't Worry About Tomorrow

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

• Pray - Make your requests known to God

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

• Think Godly Thoughts

Php 4:8-9  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. 

• Be Humble before God and Others

1Pe 5:6-10  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 

• Cast Your Care Upon Him

Be Sober & Vigilant, Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.   1 Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.  

• Realize Who Is Behind It All

1Pe 5:8ff  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 

• Realize There Is An End To It and a Benefit (Spiritual Growth & Maturity)

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 

In Christ We Can Overcome Fear and Doubt

John 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; 

I have overcome the world.