The Transformative Power of Doubts
This blog post focuses on doubt this week. This blog Post will focus on three instances in which Abraham and Sarah struggled with moments of uncertainty.
FAITH
Maya
6/17/20266 min read
“Why did God choose me to carry out this assignment? There is no way I can do this.” “Things will not improve.”
At some point in our faith walk, we have wrestled with questions similar to these. We have also experienced fear, a lack of confidence, uneasiness, or uncertainty. As I dive into the topic of Doubts, my understanding has increased. Growing up in the church and with the values and beliefs my mother instilled in me, such as the importance of faith and the belief that God will supply all your needs according to his riches and glory. (Philippians 4:19). I look back on my past experiences and realize I felt guilt, shame, and self-blame because of my doubts, telling myself that if I had been patient or had unwavering faith, maybe I would have had a different outcome. As a result, this response left me feeling hopeless and helpless, leading me to dwell on what I should have done differently and leaving no room for growth or change. However, through my study of doubt, I find that uncertainty can, in fact, be an opportunity for spiritual growth. Having doubts offers an opportunity to be honest and identify your physical, mental, and emotional state when faced with adversity. Plus, doubts allow you to take action: you can either use doubts to increase avoidance of the circumstances you are faced with or use them as an opportunity to continue seeking God for a resolution. Today, I choose not to push those doubts to the back of my mind and allow those doubts to grow within. I welcomed these doubts as an opportunity to seek God's guidance on the best course of action, to grow in my faith, to gain wisdom, and to deepen my relationship with God. Doubts can serve as an opportunity to enhance your faith, gain wisdom and understanding, and ultimately grow spiritually.
Doubt tends to show up in many different ways, such as :
Factual Doubt: One may question whether a source contains factual information.
Emotional Doubts: Emotional doubts occur based on one’s feelings and experiences. You may have noticed that when you experience emotional doubt, you question your own abilities and worth.
Volitional Doubts: This type of doubt concerns one’s ability to make decisions.
Deep Dive into How Doubt Shows Up in the Bible
Let’s take a look at the story of Sarah and Abraham. We won’t look at the full story of Abraham in this blog post. However, if you would like to read more about Abraham’s story, you can read from Genesis 11:27 to Genesis 25:18. If you have not read the story of Abraham, I want to encourage you to take time out of your day to do so.
In the story of Abraham and Sarah, we will focus on the moments of doubt surrounding God’s promise that Sarah would bear a child. I’ll take a look at three particular Chapters. The first instance is Genesis 16:1-3, in which Sarah, formerly known as Sarai, took matters into her own hands by giving her Egyptian slave, named Hagar, to Abraham to birth an heir (Ishmael). In Genesis 17:16-17, we see Abraham laugh and say to himself, "Will a son be born to a man 100 years old?" Will Sarah bear a child at the age of 90?” and as a response, God states that he will surely bless Sarah and Abraham with a son. Despite his doubts, Abraham chose to be obedient and followed God's command to maintain his covenant with God. The last instance of doubt within the story of Abraham and Sarah was Genesis 18:10-14, in which three divine visitors came to visit Abraham. While speaking with Abraham, Sarah overheard one of the visitors say that in a year, he would return, and that Sarah would have a son. Sarah's response came in laughter, stating, “After I am worn out in and my Lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?” In each instance, we see that God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah surpasses their understanding of their reality. We all have moments when we feel a great deal of uncertainty and find ourselves inflexible in what we perceive and understand about our realities, leading us to forget that nothing is too great for God.
Personally, I have had moments of doubt similar to Sarah's. I recently inquired about purchasing a house. My intention was to gather more information about the process and requirements, but I was hopeful I would be able to purchase a home. During the process, I remember sitting next to my mom, just bursting out laughing and thinking, “Man, this is insane.” While I am filling out the paperwork, I am seeing how the debt (Student loans, car loans, etc) outweighs the little assets I do have. However, things did not work out the way I had hoped, which, at the moment, made me feel a little disappointed. I had done research before deciding to make an inquiry about a house purchase, so I was aware of the importance of your debt-to-income ratio, but I still wanted to give it a try. I look back on the moment now not as a moment of failure or hopelessness, but with renewed faith. I have come to realize, through prayer, that gaining approval in that moment would have contradicted everything I have been praying for. In fact, it would set me further into the hole that I have been praying to get out of. Today, I choose to hold on to my faith and belief that one day, God will provide me with the opportunity to purchase a home paid in full! I say that to say trust in the Lord, be patient, and lean not on your own understanding (Pro.3:5). God will provide a way, He always does!
God’s Response to Doubts
Through Abraham and Sarah’s story of doubt and many others in the bible, God’s response to those struggling with doubt was marked by grace, patience, compassion, understanding, and reassurance, always resulting in the reaffirmation of his promises. We see this occur during the visitation of the divine visitors. In response to Sarah’s laughter, the Lord asks Abraham, "Is it anything too hard for the Lord?" (Genesis 18:14). He also reaffirms his promise that he will return next year and that Sarah will have a son. One thing I loved about the stories of those experiencing doubt is that, no matter whether they doubted their own capabilities or circumstances, wanting things done on their own timing rather than God’s timing, it did not result in God changing his plans or purpose for their lives; God’s promises were always fulfilled.
Ways to Resolve Doubts
Prayer: Looking at my journey in creating my BE: Set Apart blog and website, there were many, many doubts. I questioned my ability to create a website, my writing ability, not feeling as if I was even knowledgeable enough to even share the gospel, and even questioned whether anyone would even care to read the blogs. However, by making the conscious choice not to avoid the assignment I’ve been given and actively deciding to engage in prayer regarding my doubts. I’ve realized that if I am willing to carve out time to be in God's presence, much will be revealed about my assignment or purpose, and he will provide me with all the love and reassurance I need to increase my self-confidence. By setting aside time for prayer, you have the ability to seek wisdom, understanding, and reassurance. Thus, if you feel uncertain or find yourself having difficulty making decisions during hard times, seek guidance through prayer.
Studying Scripture: There is no better way to gain an understanding of God than reading his word. Take time out of your busy schedules to sit with the word of God.
Reflecting on Past Experiences: Revisit past experiences in which you had faith in your capabilities, circumstances, or God’s abilities or promises, and reflect on what you learned from them and apply it to your current circumstances. Utlizing your past experiences will help you maintain the faith that God will make a way just as he always does.
Seeking Spiritual Counsel: It is important to ensure that you are surrounded by trusted individuals who are also in the Word of God. Ground yourself within a church community. These individuals can provide you with wisdom and understanding in moments of uncertainty.
There are so many instances in the bible in which one experiences doubt. I may have create a series on Doubts in the future. However, if you want to read more about doubt within the bible, here are other stories of those who have dealt with Doubt:
Moses (Exodus 3-4)
Thomas (John 20)
Gideon (Judges 6)
The Father of the boy who needed Healing ( Mark 9:24)
Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20: 7)
Questions to Ponder Until Next Time:
What’s a moment of uncertainty that renewed your faith in God?
Do you find it hard to be patient and to wait for God’s timing? If so, in what ways do you ensure that you don’t take matters into your own hands?
Need a Devotional on Doubt? Check out the Doubt Isn't Dangerous -5 Day Devotional:
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