Beyond the Shadow of Doubt

We want to have faith, but doubt gets in the way. Doubt disrupts our day and we can't help but throw question marks at God. We trust in Who He is, but we're not sure we fully trust in what He does and doesn't do. We argue in prayer that nothing makes sense, things aren't adding up, and we forget Who we're talking to. We've forgotten we were told, "Trust the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5 GW) Our desire for God's ways to make sense causes conflict within our faith that keeps us from getting past the doubt and leaves us trapped within it. Doubt can cast a sizable shadow, and we need to obey God so that we can get from under it. 

"Yes, be bold and strong! Banish fear and doubt! 
For remember, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” 
(Joshua 1:9 TLB)

Our doubts call our faith to action. We can't sit by and wait for doubt to pass. There are days, months, even years, where the shadow of doubt lingers because it feels welcome. We've simply never demanded that it go. God tells us to "banish" doubt, and there's reason for that. He's told us to forbid it, abolish, and get rid of it. But there's only one way to conquer doubt and that's through our faith. We either believe God or we don't. And quite frankly, we wish it wasn't that simple because that puts the ball in our court and not God's. We'd rather God be responsible for our faith, not ourselves. But God's given us everything we need to stand firm in our faith, we simply let doubt get the best of us and we tend to throw in the towel a bit too early. What we fail to realize is that doubt has its purpose and if we'd see it for what it can and should be, we'd find our faith capitalizing on it.

"If faith never encounters doubt, if truth never struggles with error, if good never battles with evil, how can faith know its own power? Doubting can only turn negative when it begins to overpower an individuals ability to defeat sin and look to Jesus for guidance, wisdom, and forgiveness." 
-Gary Parker, The Gift of Doubt

Our doubt comes from our unbelief that God will do what He says He'll do. We can't escape the shadow of  doubt, that cloud will come, it's part of life...it's what we do with doubt that's the key. 

So what promise of God are you doubting in your life? Are you doubting He'll protect you or provide for you? What is it that's too difficult for Him? Don't allow your doubt to keep your faith from believing what it knows-God does the impossible. Period.