(UNBELIEF)

Defined as ;
Uncertainty or undecided
Hesitation to believe
Inclination to disbelieve
Uncertain state
Lack of full proof or clear indication

It is recorded that Jesus was 30 years old when He performed His first miracle. In the book of John 2;3 we read that He and Mary His mother, were at a wedding reception and the most embarrassing situation occurred for the Groom – they had run out of wine. Mary asked Jesus to help out and then told the servants of the house to do what ever Jesus asked. They were told to fill up the six stone water pots with water and then pour it out for the guests. I am sure that these servants must have pitied what was going to happen to Jesus and their master, the Groom, when this deception was discovered by everyone. Can you imagine their surprise when as they poured out this water, it had turned into wine? And not just any cheap wine either, it was so good that the guests complimented the groom on saving the best wine until last.

Who ever had heard of such thing! These servants knew it was ordinary, everyday H2O they filled those water pots with, they must have doubted and puzzled in their minds how it would come out wine. So what happened to their doubts when the water came out a full, red bodied, fruity wine? It disappeared, proof was before their eyes.

What about the disciple Thomas? Ever heard the saying, “Don’t be a doubting Thomas?” After Jesus had been crucified and had appeared to his other disciples in the Upper Room, Thomas had not been present. When his mates had told him that Jesus was alive and they had spoken to Him, Thomas doubted them. John 20;25 ‘UNLESS I SEE IN HIS HANDS THE PRINT OF THE NAILS AND PUT MY FINGER INTO THE PRINT OF THE NAILS AND MY HAND INTO HIS SIDE, I WILL NOT BELIEVE.’
Thomas had lived, worked and walked with the disciples and with Jesus for three years, he had reason, because of knowing them, to believe them when they said they had seen Jesus. But he CHOSE to disbelieve, to doubt.

Do you have problems with doubt at times?

I was told first hand of a soldier hiding behind a tree in a hot contact and, understandably, feared for his life. In the depths of his fear he cried out to God and said, “If you are real make this contact stop and I promise I will serve you!” Immediately the firing ceased. Some could say coincidence, but I prefer to believe that God heard the cry of this man’s heart and caused the battle to stop raging. Later back in the bar mulling all this over in his mind while sitting in front of his whiskey and wondering if he should drink or not because God had answered his prayer, he shared this experience with someone and they told this soldier, “Coincidence man! Don’t bother about it.” So sadly, that soldier did just that, many years of being an alcoholic and living from hand to mouth, he was one day, confronted again with what happened in that rubber plantation and his vow to serve God. This time, he chose to believe.

Doubt can rob us of many things in life. It can rob us of trust, faith, happiness and peace.
Sometimes in a given situation, we doubt so many things, for example:
Doubts of being able to cope with a situation
Doubts that there is anyone in this whole wide world that is experiencing what we are at this time
Doubt that God will hear our heart’s cry out to Him - for why should He listen to me?
Doubts that you are doing the right thing by being in a war zone
Doubting that God could possibly forgive you if you have to kill someone because of being in that war zone
Doubt that God is able to look after your loved ones at home.

Another little word connected to doubt is worry. Worry means that you cannot let your doubts and fears alone. You keep coming back to them to fret over them, they wear you out and wear you down and can rob you of the joy of living.

BUT

Psalm 71: 1 IN YOU OH LORD DO I PUT MY TRUST. LET ME NEVER BE CONFUSED

1 Corinthians 14;33a FOR GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION…………………..

James 1: 5-9 IF ANY OF YOU LACKS WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, WHO GIVES TO ALL LIBERALLY AND WITHOUT REPROACH (BLAME), AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO HIM. BUT LET HIM ASK IN FAITH, WITH NO DOUBTING FOR HE WHO DOUBTS IS LIKE A WAVE OF THE SEA DRIVEN AND TOSSED BY THE WIND. FOR LET NOT THAT MAN SUPPOSE THAT HE WILL RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM THE LORD; HE IS LIKE A DOUBLE MINDED MAN, UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS.

What is the opposite to doubt? Trust. (Faith)

Proverbs 3;5,6 TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING, IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND HE WILL DIRECT YOUR PATHS.


Psalm 42; 5 Take courage my soul! Why be downcast? Why be discouraged and sad? Hope in God. Yes, I shall yet praise him again. Yes I shall yet praise him again for his help
Matt 8; 26 But Jesus answered. “Oh you men of little faith! Why are you so frightened?” Then he stood up and rebuked the wind and waves, and the storm subsided and all was calm.

On a positive note, do not feel condemned when you doubt, for doubt is often the beginning of faith and trust. We all doubt at times because we operate mainly on the evidence of our senses. It is human to doubt what we cannot see but trust is not something you can see. It is an experience beyond d our senses. Thomas first doubt and would not believe but the Lord stepped into his doubts and faith came. Then Jesus said these words, “Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed but I say blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” As you work through your doubts and ask for faith, it will be given. Someone once said, “Doubt is the manure from which faith grows.” Let your doubts be the impetus to inquire further by seeking God and faith will be given.

Prayer:

Father in Heaven, please forgive me for doubting you. Help me to reach out and trust you more knowing that you know what is best for me, my family and my circumstances. I know that your eye is on the sparrow, so I know your eye is on me. I submit myself to your care and keeping, please take my hand and lead me through this tunnel of doubt into the open air of trusting and praising you – no matter what happens. I submit myself to you, I would resist this doubt, and claim peace in Jesus name. Amen.