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How Do I Overcome Doubt?


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#1 Chris Colvin

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Posted 24 March 2011 - 12:18 PM

(6) But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. (7) For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,(8)being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. NASB

When the leper asked Jesus to cure him (Mark 2:40-42), he asked "If you are willing..." Jesus replied, "I am willing; be cleansed." Jesus did and said what the Father told him to day and do. I cannot find one instance in the gospels where he refused to help anyone. Whether it was the woman who touched his robe to have her blood condition cured, to the centurion who asked Jesus to cure his servant, he helped all.

Life has been a difficult trial for 7 years...starting with loss of financial security...to my bride of 24 years wanting to quit the marriage citing, "I don't want to live this way anymore," in November. For 7 years, I've prayed however now I pray and doubt.

I pray for some relief, and the engine goes out on the car. I pray for peace and our son ends up in the hospital. I ask God to give my wife his peace and she announces she wants a divorce. My son did get saved which was a miracle in itself...but I still doubt. How does one overcome doubt? I'm trusting...and obeying, but still have a shadow of a doubt.

People fail us. They make promises and fail to come through. Am I comparing God to these? I don't want to doubt. But I do. As Paul said, "I do what I don't want to do, and I don't do what I want to do."

#2 Johnny

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Posted 24 March 2011 - 01:34 PM

Dear LORD, I pray for Chris, that you will fill his heart with hope.That You would grant him, according to the riches of Your glory, to be strengthened with might by Your Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in his heart by faith; that he, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that he might be filled with all the fulness of God.Please give him the ability and courage to believe in the power of your Word! In Jesus name amen. Hebrews 11: 6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him(God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."Ephesians 3:20 KJV Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us) Chris you have what it takes.Don't fear only believe.

#3 Joel Stoddert

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Posted 24 March 2011 - 03:43 PM

(6) But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. (7) For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,(8)being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. NASB

When the leper asked Jesus to cure him (Mark 2:40-42), he asked "If you are willing..." Jesus replied, "I am willing; be cleansed." Jesus did and said what the Father told him to day and do. I cannot find one instance in the gospels where he refused to help anyone. Whether it was the woman who touched his robe to have her blood condition cured, to the centurion who asked Jesus to cure his servant, he helped all.

Life has been a difficult trial for 7 years...starting with loss of financial security...to my bride of 24 years wanting to quit the marriage citing, "I don't want to live this way anymore," in November. For 7 years, I've prayed however now I pray and doubt.

I pray for some relief, and the engine goes out on the car. I pray for peace and our son ends up in the hospital. I ask God to give my wife his peace and she announces she wants a divorce. My son did get saved which was a miracle in itself...but I still doubt. How does one overcome doubt? I'm trusting...and obeying, but still have a shadow of a doubt.

People fail us. They make promises and fail to come through. Am I comparing God to these? I don't want to doubt. But I do. As Paul said, "I do what I don't want to do, and I don't do what I want to do."



Chris, my heart goes out to you. As I understand Scripture, it isn't honest questions the Lord has a problem with, but the kind of doubt which is the opposite of faith. Take the example of Job. As long as Job's doubt consisted of questions about what God was doing, an attitude of troubled trust, he was fine. Job loved God and trusted him--he just didn't understand why God was allowing his suffering, so he kept asking Him about it. When Job got a dressing down from God is when he descended into self-pity and basically began accusing God instead of asking questions. You say, "I'm trusting and obeying, but still have a shadow of a doubt." Been there, brother. Sometimes we doubt because He's God & we're not, & we'd have to be God to fully "get" what He's up to. Keep, as you wisely say, trusting and obeying, & don't feel guilty about asking Him questions when you don't understand.

#4 Jason Linscombe

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Posted 25 March 2011 - 11:13 AM

prayin' brother!
"The key to prayer is simply praying." -AW Tozer

#5 Travis Richey

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Posted 25 March 2011 - 05:39 PM

The Dad of one of the people that Jesus helped out had this to say in Mark Ch. 9:

“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

I don't know for certain that doubt and unbelief are one and the same, but I do think they are closely related. This man admitted to Jesus his lack of belief and asked for help in overcoming it.

And I think that for many of the people who approached Jesus, doubt was a part of them as was some unbelief. I do not think that doubt fully negates faith, though scripture does seem to point to unbelief standing in the way of faith.

But your question goes far beyond that, and you ask something that I've asked many times. Jesus tells us that all things are possible for those who believe, and He also says that what we ask, we will receive. Those are difficult words to read when one has asked and asked and does not feel that they have received. And I for one cannot shed any light upon this subject other than to say that we are called to believe no matter what.

I am reminded of Paul. Now I think we could all come to an agreement that Brother Paul was a man of great faith, and one with few if any doubts. I think we could all say that Paul was also a man of prayer who had the ear of God. Yet I read the words of Paul when he says this:

"Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches."

Many of us today, if we found ourselves listening to someone tell us a list of events like this that had happened to them....well, I think we would be like Jobs so called friends and wonder what kind of man this really was to have so many horrible things happen in his life in so short a span of years. We would think he must be a man of sinfulness to have so many judgements against him. But all these things happened to a man of faith, to a man of prayer. Paul write on from here and says:

"Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?"

Paul admits to feeling weak in the face of all of this. IF it were me, I'd be far from weak, I think I'd be almost defeated. But as this account moves forward in 2 Corninthians, we also find this:

"I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'”

Paul prayed, and Paul asked for something from the Lord, and Paul did receive, though he did not receive what he asked for. No, he received something far better, and more priceless. Paul received the Promise of Abundant and Sufficient Grace.

Chris, I have no idea how to answer your questions. But I do believe in God's Abundance of Grace, and I pray that in all that you are struggling with, that God will pour out that Abundant and Sufficient Grace upon you and that you will receive an answer to your inquiries.

God Bless you,
Travis

#6 StevePage

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Posted 26 March 2011 - 06:26 AM

These are all great replies. I would only add this quote.

"The opposite of faith is not doubt but certainty. Certainty is missing the point entirely. Faith includes noticing the mess, the emptiness and the discomfort and letting it be there until some light returns." Ann LaMott. Plan B Further Thoughts on Faith

I guess doubt might be good or bad, depending on what it is you are in doubt of. I don't want to confuse things but you may want to narrow down what it is you doubt. (For example) Do you doubt God is able? Do you doubt good can come from your situation? Do you doubt your motives or that what you ask for is in His will? Examining your doubt may lead you to further insight and strengthening of your faith.

#7 Chris Colvin

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Posted 28 March 2011 - 09:30 AM

I'll be in the book of Job. More firey darts over the weekend. Thanks for your replies. They're helping to keep me looking up.

#8 Ralph Mauch

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Posted 23 April 2011 - 02:58 PM

I'll be in the book of Job. More firey darts over the weekend. Thanks for your replies. They're helping to keep me looking up.


Hey Chris, your not alone in the whole doubt area, none of us are immune, but we can overcome them. I have a book in my library I often either give to those who are going through a season of doubt, or quote from. The book is "God in the Dark", by OS Guinness and he says this on page 126 "The human mind is ruled by emotions as well as reason, and the emotions are often stronger. C. S. Lewis wrote, "unless you teach your moods 'where they get off,' you can never be a sound Christian or even a sound atheist, but just a creature dithering to and fro, with its beliefs really dependent on the weather and the state of its digestion. (from the book "The Business of Heaven: Daily Reading from CS Lewis)"

Dealing with life isn't meant to be done alone, we need to seek out others in our Church to help us, if you have a men's group I suggest you start attending their studies, if for nothing else then followship. Paul in Romans says "12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.(English standard version. 2001 (Ro 1:12). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.) and also in Galatians "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (English standard version. 2001 (Ga 6:2). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.)

Take courage that God is able to keep us in our deepest struggles, cuz His Word say so :).
Blessings,
Ralph

#9 Guest_Marvin Harrell_*

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Posted 25 April 2011 - 08:38 AM

Chris, how are you these days? I just reviewed the thread and wanted to hear from you. You are being prayed for most certainly, and not the least by The Holy Spirit himself who is interceding at the very throne of the Father right now (Romans 8:27)