“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” -James 1:5-10
Doubt is the absence of hope, the absence of faith, the absence of peace. It is an all-encompassing emotion that clouds thinking and convinces you that you’re meant to fail. Doubt wreaks havoc on how you view the world and people in it. It also builds a brick wall between you and God.
Many of you reading this post are in the middle of a season of doubt. You’re stuck in a job that depletes you, don’t really know your purpose, and you feel undervalued and underappreciated. You’re finding it difficult to believe life will change, but you must remember God still IS.
Now, I know you may be thinking, “God is what, lady? If there was a God, then none of this would have happened in the first place!” I can totally understand your anger and frustration, BUT what you must understand is that, through this situation, God still is the Father, and that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28). This means that he can take the most horrid experience of your life and turn it around to bless not only you, but others that may be experiencing something similar. So, how do we move from doubt to hope, how do we restore our faith, not only in life but also in others?
1. Stop Believing Your Emotions: Let’s face it, emotions lie. They make you believe certain things are true when they are not. Emotions can lead you to commit some of the most reckless acts, or cause you to insulate yourself from living. The core issue here is fear, and once you give in to it, the colorful life God has for you fades to black and white because you allowed fear to take over. You must make a choice, are you going to continue to be “blown and tossed” (James 1:6) by waves of doubt, or are you going to allow God to be your anchor? If you choose God to be your anchor, then that means combating erratic emotions and doubt with truth, with light, working toward the promise God has for your life.
2. Increase Your Prayer Life: When doubt sets in, drop to your knees in prayer. Prayer is your sealant, that insulation that keeps doubt, fear and hopelessness from creeping in. Philippians 4:6 says it best: “Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in prayer and petitions, along with giving thanks.” Take the thoughts that are not aligned with God to God so he can give you HIS peace over the situation as he rearranges your thinking.
3. Give It Away: The best way to get out of your head is to do something for others. God created us not to horde our time and gifts, but to share them with other people. He created us to be communal, not isolated. He created us to share, to take care of and to love one another, not to sit alone harboring doubt, resentment and fear. DO something for someone else, and do it consistently. The more you operate outside of yourself, the better you will feel.
You have the power, through God, to control your thoughts. You have the power to control the doubt, the fear and anxiousness. All you have to do is follow God’s command in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Why don’t you trust him to do it for you?
