Posts Tagged: ‘unbelief’

Leashing The Dogs Of Doubt

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief !”
Mark 9:24 (NIV)

Doubts are the persistent nippings of dogs.

Some of these doubts are so full of venom that they harden the heart.  Once bitten, a victim finds that he cannot believe in anything outside himself.  He disowns his heavenly Father much like one might disown his earthly one.  In his mind, there is no God.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
Psalm 14:1a

I have at times been grazed with such a bite, usually inflicted by the skeptic who is satisfied with nothing but his own answer, whose heart was hardened long ago.  My own doubts about God’s existence are always momentary, for He graciously reminds me that He does not require my permission or my faith to exist–that He was, and is, and will be, long after I return to dust.

There are other doubts from other dogs that are equally dangerous.

Their potency lies in their ability to paralyze the believer.  These toxins work their way into the spiritual nervous system and draw into question the character of God, His wisdom, and His power.

  • Is God really good?
  • Why doesn’t He care?
  • Does God really know what He’s doing?
  • How could He let this happen?
  • Where was God when I needed Him most?
  • How am I going to get out of this mess?

I have keenly felt this during times of financial need, especially during this past year when expenses outweighed income and no solution was apparent.  It is much easier to trust a credit card than to trust God.  Yet, without fail, every time Becky and I trusted God to provide, He did.  It was not always in the manner expected, but He did. 

And yet, despite His faithfulness to me and my family, I still struggle with doubt every time a financial crisis hits (though the sting has weakened).  It reminds me of what the Apostle John wrote of his contemporaries.

Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.
John 12:37

Do you struggle with doubts, too?

How do we keep the dogs at bay?

  • Read the Bible and memorize the promises - In it, God clearly displays His goodness, His wisdom, and His power to save.
  • Pray – You cannot deny the person you are speaking with.  Praying while you read the Bible is detoxifying and invigorating.  It softens the heart and brings life to your spirit.
  • Seek Counsel - You cannot fend off the dogs alone; you need others who have battled these dogs before to fight with you.  Surround yourself with like-minded believers.
  • Practice – When times are tough we tend to leave God as the last resort.  Next time, go to Him first.  Ask for more faith, and persist till He satisfies your aching heart.

The Apostle Paul wrote this of Abraham,

Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Romans 4:20-21

May the same be true of us, and may all who follow us find us faithful to the end.

If you find encouragement in this, pass it on.

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