Handling doubts about your faith

Posted by Mike Smith at 11/13/2007 11:47 PM
Categories: God's plan, Trouble, Doubt, Crisis, hardship, Faith

    Matthew 11:2-3 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent [a message] by his disciples and asked Him, “Are You the One who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”


    Even the best among us can have doubts and crises of faith. Jesus said that there was no one among those born of women greater than John the Baptist but he had doubts. And Jesus praised John immediately after hearing about John's weakening faith.

    We can learn much about how to handle such crises of faith by looking at what happened to John and how Jesus reacted to the prophet's doubts.

    Remember that John had known about Jesus for a long time. When he was still in his mother's womb, the Holy Spirit enabled John to recognize the approach of Jesus within his pregnant mother. (Luke 1:41) When Jesus came to John to be baptized, John knew who he was and declared him to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29) And John was willing to hand over his ministry to Jesus when he began his public preaching (John 3:30). So why would someone who knew so well  that Jesus is the messiah have doubts?

    Look at when John expressed his doubts. He is in prison. He has been arrested by his nemesis, Herod, and is likely to be killed. Circumstances probably aren't working out the way John thought they would. He most likely thought that once the messiah started his ministry, things would start to get straightened out. People like Herod would suffer or be brought down. They certainly wouldn't become stronger and be able to threaten him. God's plan isn't meshing with John's plan, and that is causing him to wonder whether he had been right about Jesus.

    We are the same way. When God's plan doesn't match ours, when things don't go the way we thought God would direct them, according to our plan, we wonder if we were right about God. Maybe God doesn't love us. Maybe he's not involved in our lives. Maybe he doesn't even exist. When we are troubled, and we can't see how God is working, we start to doubt.

    How do we handle that doubt? We do what John did. He sent a message to Jesus, asking him: “Are You the One who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Matt. 11:3) We take our doubts to God. We get on our knees and confess our doubts and ask for reassurance. Why would we do anything else? Should we act all faithful like we don't have any doubts so we don't insult the Lord? God knows we have them. We can't hide them from him! Like anything else and everything else that bothers us, we should take it to God.

    How will he react? Look at how Jesus reacted to John. He told the messengers to report back to John that "the blind see, the lame walk, those with skin diseases are healed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news. And if anyone is not offended because of Me, he is blessed.” (Matthew 11:5-6) Jesus provides John with the assurance he needs. Jesus doesn't send them away with some vague demand that John show more faith. He reassures John.

    And Jesus doesn't condemn John for his doubts. He turns right around and praises John for his ministry and calls him greater than all other men. The Lord does not expect us to be stronger than he knows we are. As long as we handle our crises of faith by turning to him for guidance and reassurance, we will obtain that assurance without condemnation for any temporary weakening of faith.

    So don't be surprised if you doubt your faith during times of difficulty. Just do what John did and take it to the Lord.

 

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