What We Do When We Find Ourselves Doubting Jesus

Since faith is the way we please God and the only way to salvation, we Christians don’t like to express that we sometimes have doubts. Of course, God knows our thoughts before we think them, so we are not fooling Him. Trying to fool others is just prideful and trying to fool ourselves? Well, that is just silly. But there is a wonderful story in the Bible that shows us that doubt is sometimes going to pop up.

We find this story in Luke 7;18-23 and in Matthew 11:2-6.

In the story, we find John, stuck in a prison for simply being obedient to the call he was given by God. Listen to John’s question of doubt.

Luke 7:18-19
The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

John, the one who baptized Jesus and then personally saw the heavens open, the Spirit of God come down from them, and rest upon Jesus. John, the one who was filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb, and the same John who once said this about Jesus, John 1:29, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” This John expressed doubt later in his life.

Doubt isn’t something we should hold on to, for it will take away your joy if left unfettered. So, what do we do with doubt? The answer is simple. We do as John did and take it to Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of our faith. We pray when we doubt. Then we open His Word to hear the truth about the questions we have. Then we believe God. We believe the Word. The Word is Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6)

Listen to the wonderful words of the psalmist who instructs us in how to fight doubt.

Psalm 1:1-3
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

God spoke to Joshua and instructed him how not to doubt that he could lead the nation Israel.

Joshua 1:7-8
Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.  This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

The Book of the law must depart from our mouths. We must follow the straight path it lays out. We need to be always thinking about its truth so that we may follow how God has instructed us to live.

Peter said this in 2 Peter 1:3, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.”

The knowledge of Him comes through the Word of God. It is the place we must go to remove all doubt.