Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”

• James 1:6

Be merciful to those who doubt;

• Jude 1:22

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

• Romans 10:17

“Sometimes it feels foolish to believe in a God we cannot see, touch, or audibly hear. But that’s why faith is so incredible. It is the confidence of things hoped for and the evidence of things we cannot see with our natural eye. Faith is the opposite of what is natural, which is why it is so hard for people to believe.
“Did you know that God can handle your doubts? He is not mad at you for asking questions. Sometimes we think it is a lack of faith to question God. We know that without faith, it’s impossible to please God, but doubt is not the opposite of faith, nor is it the same as unbelief. According to the Google Dictionary, doubt is defined as ‘a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction.’ Doubt is a state of mind in suspension between faith and unbelief.
“Many times people doubt their salvation. They ask the question, ‘How do I know if I’m really saved?’ This doubt tends to manifest when we ‘think we need to do something to be saved instead of looking at what Christ has already done.
“By faith we receive the gift of salvation. And ‘faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ’ (Rom. 10:17). But when we are in the hallway of doubt and continue to feed our doubt, we begin to move toward unbelief. This is where the Enemy wants us camped.
“When people are in a state of unbelief, they have made the resolute decision that they do not believe. Atheists have decided that there is no God. They have chosen not to believe. In contrast, doubt occurs when you aren’t sure, when there is still a decision to be made.
“God wants to help settle our doubts and confirm that He is who He says He is. And He has given us the Bible so that we can always find a story that gives us the answer we are looking for. That is why it is so important that when we experience doubt, we read the stories of men and women who went before us. It will help our faith as we read about their own rocky roads of doubt that turned into grounded pathways of belief in this God we serve. …
“CHALLENGE”
“If you have doubts about God, take a moment to go into your prayer closet and present those doubts to Him. Allow Him to settle those doubts with His truths and write down what you feel God saying. Last, remember Jude verse 22, which says that we are to be merciful to those who doubt. Ask the Lord to reveal any judgment you have held toward those who are struggling with doubt and extend them mercy and grace, just as God has to you.”

• Alex Seeley, The Opposite Life

Last week Alex Seeley talked about Gideon’s fear, but then in this chapter, she talks about Gideon’s doubts.  I agree with this.  Once Gideon was convinced that he was really talking to God and that God had chosen him to rescue the people of Israel, Gideon was fearless.

Alex Seeley speaks of Jude 22 without coupling that with James 1:6, but in practice, she gets there.  We have moments of doubt.  When we are physically low and a new, unexpected bill shows up in the mailbox and then someone calls to ask you for help and you know there is no other who can help (other than God), the Enemy is primed and ready to attack, to tell you that a true believer will not get bombarded like that.  But remember that the Enemy is the prince of lies.  Thomas saw the risen Christ and his doubts faded quickly.  Gideon had one miraculous sign after another before he trusted unwaveringly.

We may all be like them at times, but God may need us to be the Gideon with 300 men going up against a major army.  When God has reassured us that all is well, we need to act on that faith.

I acted on faith when I started this blogsite a little over five years ago.  And when things went well, I was attacked.  When things went poorly, I was attacked.  It is odd that the attacks seem to come at either end.  When I am in the midst of serving God, somewhere in the middle, I am too busy to worry about belief and doubt.  I am in a service mindset, and I let God work out the details.

It may be different for each person, but that is how I deal with the doubts.

“Oh, you wrote a post that only a couple of people liked…”

Then, I answer that doubt with “Maybe they will like this next one.”  And then I talk to God for a little while.  It is not for the “like” clicks, it is for that person of whom I may never know who needs that message to make it through the day or to see God in hard times, whatever.  That is why I am here.

I listened to a television show before writing this and one of the pastors was talking about “blind faith.”  He said something like, “When we step out in blind faith, others will argue that it makes no sense taking that journey, but with blind faith, you keep walking until it makes sense.”

All of us are a little like Thomas, we need to keep walking until it makes sense, for at the end of the path, we will see Jesus.

Lord, guide me.  At times, the Enemy attacks and my knees begin to knock.  But You know all this, and You comfort me.  You guide me toward the path.  Thank You for always being there, even when, at that moment, I felt all alone.  Hallelujah, I am never alone.  In Thy Name I pray.  Amen

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.