Church Bulletin:
After my morning devotional time I opened the blinds to discover a beautiful day dawning. The sky was beaming with shades of pink and orange. Finally these colours were swallowed up by full daylight. Looking out of my window the morning was fresh, bright, and clear. A little later however it began to change as heavy grey clouds made their way across the sky. By 10:00am it was completely overcast. Things were not as sharp and crisp as they had been a couple of hours earlier. A hazy greyness had taken control of the day.
It reminded me of Christian experience. There are times when our faith is bright and clear. There is certainty in the things we believe; our hope is strong and unwavering. For one reason or another however, clouds of doubt begin to roll over us. Our confidence becomes shaky; we question the things believed – can the Bible be trusted, does God love me, are my sins forgiven, is my faith genuine. Hope while not diminished seems very uncertain. When this occurs there are a few realities we need to come back to.
A. Doubt is common to all Christians. It is well documented that the most eminent believers have contended with this issue. The Apostle Peter sank into the water as doubt took hold of him (Matt 14:22-33). When doubts assault you realise that you are not alone.
B. Doubt is actually evidence of faith. Unbelievers don’t doubt Biblical truth because they have already rejected it. Furthermore they rejoice at the thought the Bible is untrue. Christians on the other hand believe scripture and worry when their belief wavers. Doubt does not mean that a person doesn’t have faith, it means their faith has become clouded; it is not as strong and as clear as they would like and so they fret. When clouds obscure the sun it doesn’t mean the sun isn’t there, it just means the brightness of the day has been subdued for a time. Sometimes the brightness of faith is subdued by doubt.
C. The answer to doubt is to strengthen faith. The answer is not to search for faith as though looking for a misplaced item. Faith is already present and this is why doubt is present. Faith is strengthened by looking to Christ not looking within. Our Lord is the source of faith and the one who nourishes it. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb 12:2). Look to Christ in His Word. “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:13). Look to Christ in prayer. “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).
Andrew