Dealing With Doubt Part 4: know who you’re dealing with

This morning's post is Part 4 of a 5-part series on Doubt. You can find Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 by clicking on the highlighted links. Next week we'll wrap up the series. Thanks for reading along with me!

Remember the old SNL skits with the church lady? How she’d cock her head to one side with a smug, tight-lipped smile and say, “Now who made you say that, huh? Was it . . . Satan?” Her voice would rise up a little as she drew out the word to make everyone laugh.

But it was always an uncomfortable laugh. Because, really, deep down, we all know that talking about Satan is uncomfortable and . . . I don’t know . . . maybe even a little unseemly?

We hesitate to pin too much on the bad guy—it makes us sound a little too “religious” or hyper-spiritual. And so we laugh about it.

I’m not here to laugh today, because I think that sometimes dealing with our doubts can truly become a “church lady” moment when we recognize who we’re dealing with.

Now, before I go too much further, I want to say two things. First, as I mentioned in my first post on doubt, I am no theologian. I know several good ones, and I’m sure they could set us all straight on this topic right away. What I’m attempting to do here is just use my experiences to help others who may be doubting.

Second, I do not believe that all doubt comes from Satan. Sometimes our faith is at a weak place, and we do a pretty good job of planting those thoughts into our own minds. I’m not one of those people who sees Satan standing on every street corner, just waiting to pounce on me. But I am aware. Let’s leave it at that.

What I do believe is that, if we are in Christ, we have an enemy who would like nothing better than to see us falter in our faith. The kind of enemy who delights in telling us lies and who is happier still when we believe them. An enemy who tries to discredit, even destroy, the work of God whenever he can, even if that work is our very soul.

So it follows, doesn’t it, that if we are in Christ and growing toward godliness and holiness, that Satan would do whatever he could to trip us up. At least this has been my experience. The times when I’ve been seeking God wholeheartedly, or when I’ve been serving Him the most, are times when I’ve begun to ask myself questions.

Is this all worth it?

Why am I working so hard at this? For what?

Does God really even notice me or my efforts for His kingdom?

Is He really there?

Is God really who He says He is?

Am I really saved?

These are the types of questions Satan tried to get Jesus to ask when he tempted Him in the wilderness. Questions that would doubt God’s goodness or His work in our lives. Questions that would doubt God’s validity as Savior and Redeemer.

Again, I want to emphasize that, according to Grudem’s Systematic Theology (my helper today) “Not all evil and sin if from Satan, . . . but some is” (420). Which brings me to my point: we have to be discerning. When we are in a period of doubt, we have to remember that the evil one wants more than ever to topple our faith. It would bring him so much success if we decided that this faith thing really isn’t worth it, gave up, and walked away.

So be discerning. Understand who’s voice you’re hearing—whether it’s the voice of the enemy or your own voice—and, either way, choose to not listen.

And be strong.

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” 

I Corinthians 16:13

Next week we’ll talk about the voice we should be listening to, and it’s a good, good voice.

Your thoughts? I’d love to hear them.

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Dealing With Doubt, Part 3: Know What You Know

Walking down the aisle that perfect June day, holding tightly to my dad’s arm, my insides churned and the tears started to fall. They would not stop (even after the pastor asked me if I wanted to continue—true story!) until I walked back down the aisle holding my new husband’s arm.

O.K., maybe not even then.

When we look back on our wedding day, we cannot reflect without talking about how much I cried that day. Our wedding album is filled with pictures of me, red-eyed, and him, wide-eyed.

The tears represented so much that day. My excitement for the future. My sadness about leaving my past. My fears.

And my doubts.

I was a baby, in a sense. A 22-year-old baby who knew nothing about marriage. Or life. Or the man she was about to marry.

I remember walking slowly with my dad, questions flooding my mind.

What am I doing? What if something goes wrong? I’ve only known this guy for three years, but do I really KNOW him? What if he’s not the person I think he is?

Yes, I was scared. Truly scared.

Until I looked ahead and saw the man standing at the end of the aisle, waiting for me. And that was when my tears of doubt turned to tears of joy.

Why? Because I knew him. Even though I wondered how much I knew, I knew what I knew.

I knew he was a man of God.

I knew he was a man of integrity.

I knew he was a man of commitment.

And I knew he loved me.

And so, during that long walk down the aisle, I remembered what I really knew about the man I loved. I walked. And I met him. And I married him. Forever.

Last week we talked about knowing what we’re dealing with when we doubt. How our doubts are natural. How they are normal. How our doubts are entirely O.K.—God doesn’t get mad at us for questioning.

Today, if you’re in the midst of doubting, I want you to remember one thing: 

know what you know.

You may have been raised without any church background at all. You may be just wondering if there is a God at all. You may have gone to church all your life, but you still wonder about some aspects about God. Wherever you are at this moment, you can find something true.

Getting at the truth

What do you know about God? Right now. Today. Is there one thing you can hold on to?

You might want to begin at the very beginning—God. Who He is. What He has done. What He has promised to those who love Him.

God’s word, the Bible, is His love letter to us, and in it is all the richest Truth the world could hold. The Bible tells us everything we need to know about God.

Here are just a few things that I hold on to when I’m in a place of doubt:

God is the Creator of the Universe. (Genesis 1)

Everything was made by Him and for Him. (Acts 17:23-25)

God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. (I John 1:5) (In other words, He’s not trying to hide from you.)

God loves you. So much. (John 3:16)

The Bible is FULL of truths about God. We doubters just need to hold on to them.

The world around us is also full of truths about God. The sun rising and setting each day—gifts from God. A baby’s eyelashes. The wag of a dog’s tail. Birthday cake. 

God reveals Himself to us in so many ways every day. We just need to open our eyes and look for them.

This week, be a God-seeker. Look for specific ways, every day, that God shows you that He’s real. Believe me, once you start looking, you’ll start finding. After all, God promises that “you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

Keep walking

Walking down that aisle, that beautiful June day, I’ll admit, I was terrified. Half of me wanted to turn around and run, kind of like Julia Roberts in “Runaway Bride.”

But I kept walking.

I remembered what I knew about the man I was about to marry. I knew that he was completely committed to me, and I knew that I was completely committed to him. And I knew that we were both completely committed to God.

Here we are, almost 27 years later, and I know, without a doubt, that we are still completely committed to those things. 

Have we had struggles over the years? Sure. Have I doubted my husband’s love for me from time to time? Yes. But through it all, I could remind myself of what I knew about him on that very first day and know about him still.

Today if you’re doubting, fall back on what you know about God. Search His love letter to you and hold on to those words. Spend time this week finding one way every day that God shows you that He is real, and write those things down.

And keep walking, straight into the arms of the One who loves you.

Know what you know.

Q4U: What is one thing you know about God?

How has God shown Himself to be real to you?

If you’re doubting, what is one thing you wish you knew about God?

Photo credit

Linking this post to Amanda's Weekend Bloggy Reading Link-up at "Serenity Now."

Dealing With Doubt, Part 2: Know How to React

Both times it surprised me. Caught me off guard. It’s just not something I think about regularly.

Doubt.

When it comes, it hits you squarely between the eyes, and you have to sit up and take notice.

I’ve had periods of doubt in my life, I’ll admit, and to me, doubt feels very much like fear. It paralyzes. It freezes my limbs, grabs my heart, and makes me clench my teeth. It’s all-consuming.

Which is why I feel such compassion for those doubters among us. Because, who really wants to doubt? Who really wants to be frozen with fear? I don’t know anyone who would choose sleepless nights of wondering over peaceful nights of trusting. Do you?

In the past three or four months, I’ve had people come to me on different occasions to tell me that, quite honestly, they were doubting their faith in God. These people didn’t WANT to doubt, but still found themselves wondering. What if?

Like I mentioned in my post last week, I am no theologian. I have no training in this. And as you can see, I’m a bit of a doubter myself. So why would God bring these people into my life to share their doubts with me? I’m a weak vessel if there ever was one.

I do know, however, that I’m a willing vessel, and I can listen, and most of all I want to understand how God is working in my life right now, so I figure that maybe God is bringing these people my way because He wants to teach ME something more than He wants to teach THEM something. I’m open to the possibility.

Hence, this blog series.

Like I said, doubt is surprising. If you’re in a period of doubting you might be surprised yourself; maybe you thought this could never happen to you. If someone you love is doubting, it’s especially surprising, if not disarming.

Here’s some good news. There are answers.

Thomas was a famous doubter, and yet, in the end, his story has a whole lot to teach us. You probably know it—Jesus had already shown his resurrected body to the disciples, but Thomas missed that viewing. He was probably out working or helping the women or grocery shopping. Whatever. He wasn’t there.

And you’ve probably heard his famous reaction when he heard from some of the others that Jesus was alive. “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:24)

*insert childlike foot stomp here*

Who can fault him? This was big news. Potentially devastating news if the rest of the disciples were lying to him.

I’d probably react in much the same way Thomas did. Which brings me to point number 1: Dealing with doubt is normal.

Sure, nobody wants to be a “doubting Thomas,” but do you think the phrase would be so common if doubting itself weren’t a part of life? Doubt is normal.

But there’s more to the story, and it’s about what actually happens when Jesus shows up.

I just love this because here’s what Jesus didn’t do: He didn’t tell Thomas to just hang in there, he’d get over it. He didn’t tell Thomas that his doubts would go away eventually. And most importantly, Jesus didn’t shame Thomas into believing.

Instead, Jesus gently took Thomas’s hand and placed it in the gaping hole in His side. He showed him the nail holes in His hands. And he encouraged Thomas with these words, “Stop doubting and believe.”

Point number 2: Jesus is big enough to handle your doubts.

He handled the rising from the dead thing, He can surely handle your questions. And best of all, He’s not going to slap you on the back of the hand for asking them, either. He’s just going to love you through it.

That’s grace.

We’re the ones who put Him on the cross, and yet, when we wonder if it’s all real, He gently takes our hands and shows Himself to us. Scars and all.

The greatest thing about the Thomas story? As soon as the relationship between Jesus and him is restored, Thomas declares, boldly, “My Lord and my God!” He knows who Jesus is and he can finally declare it with confidence.

Maybe someone you know is struggling right now with some nagging doubts about their faith. Remember that these doubts are normal (in other words, don’t panic). Remember that Jesus can handle them. And keep praying that one day your friend can, with Thomas, declare Jesus as Lord and God.

Next week: Dealing With Doubt, Part 3: Know What You Know

Let’s talk. Do you think doubt is normal? Do you think God gets mad when we doubt?

Dealing with Doubt

“I just don’t know what I believe.”

“I’m not sure about heaven.”

“I just don’t think a loving God would make me go through this hard stuff. I just don’t know . . .”

These past several months, something very strange has been happening. God has been placing people who doubt in my path.

It took a while for me to see it, but recently it hit me hard. People I care about are having serious doubts about God and faith.

To be honest, I don’t really know how to deal with it. I wonder, why me? I am not equipped to handle their questions. I’m no theologian, that’s for sure. Doubt is real and scary and too big for me to handle. It makes me feel all squirmy and uncomfortable.

But here’s the thing. I think we all have to deal with doubt every now and then in order to really make our faith our own. And every now and then people we love will struggle. I wonder, will we pat them on the back and tell them that everything will be O.K. or will we really be there to help them through their crisis of faith?

I want to be a helper, I really do, but until recently I wasn’t sure how to do that.

I’m still learning, but I’ve come up with a few ideas that I think might be helpful, so I’ll be sharing them over the next few weeks in a series titled, “Dealing with Doubt.” If you’re a doubter or you know someone who doubts, please hang with me for the next few weeks as we explore this topic together.

Tell me your thoughts about doubt. Your questions. Let’s do this together.

Next week: Dealing with Doubt: Know what you’re dealing with.