Week One Part 2 - Day Three: Facing Doubt

Facing our doubt means knowing what doubt is and what it isn’t. Let’s begin by addressing the most fundamental misconception about doubt: doubt is not the opposite of faith. Not believing is the opposite of believing. You cannot doubt something that does not move you toward belief, at least to some degree. Doubt is a kind of middle ground. James calls it being “double-minded.” So to doubt is to be in two minds. Perhaps it leans toward belief; perhaps it even wants to believe. But for some reason it cannot get fully there, because it also leans toward unbelief.

Two Ways Misconception of Doubt Causes Problems

This misconception causes problems in at least two ways (and you may have experienced others). First of all, some of us have given up on faith because of the presence of doubt. “I have all this doubt. Wow, I must not believe. O well ...” And we surrender ground. “I guess I don’t really believe all that stuff.” I’m not saying we abandon faith altogether; it just occupies a more modest and less meaningful place in our lives when we surrender ground easily.

A second way this misconception can cause problems shows up especially in those who are very sensitive. “I’m experiencing doubt. I must be a horrible person. How could I doubt? What’s wrong with me?” Now, as we said two days ago, doubt is not a good thing, but neither is it the same as unbelief. And it is probably universal. So the kind of guilt and anxiety that comes to sensitive souls because of misunderstanding doubt can lead to unnecessary paralysis.

Doubt does not mean that faith is absent. Quite the contrary, it means that faith in some form is present. But it must be exercised. We’ve got to get honest and ask and answer hard questions. If we really do not believe, then let’s face that and own it. If we do believe, then let’s feed our faith and not allow doubt to continue to limit us. As we said yesterday, pretending that doubt is not there will not make it go away. And gritting our teeth and trying to force it away will not make it go away. These are never the right spiritual strategies no matter what the problem is. God is always on the side of facing the truth.

So, go ahead, ask your questions; wrestle with your doubts head on. God can handle it. Again, we need to be reminded that the one who doubts is not in great spiritual territory, but addressing your doubts head on is infinitely better than not dealing with them.

Let’s launch ourselves today with a meditation that will give us some food for thought.

Before You Begin Your Day

1. Read Psalm 42. While you read it think about this Psalm as a model for how we might approach doubt. The psalmist is struggling with a deep despair here, which is really doubt’s first cousin. Notice how he does not ignore the problem. Instead, he does some spiritual and emotional work with his own soul!

   (1) As the deer pants for streams of water,
          so my soul pants for you, O God.

   (2) My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
          When can I go and meet with God?

   (3) My tears have been my food
          day and night,
          while men say to me all day long,
          "Where is your God?"

   (4) These things I remember
          as I pour out my soul:
          how I used to go with the multitude,
          leading the procession to the house of God,
          with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
          among the festive throng.

   (5) Why are you downcast, O my soul?
          Why so disturbed within me?
          Put your hope in God,
          for I will yet praise him,
          my Savior and (6) my God.
          My soul is downcast within me;
          therefore I will remember you
          from the land of the Jordan,
          the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

   (7) Deep calls to deep
          in the roar of your waterfalls;
          all your waves and breakers
          have swept over me.

   (8) By day the LORD directs his love,
          at night his song is with me–
          a prayer to the God of my life.

   (9) I say to God my Rock,
          "Why have you forgotten me?
          Why must I go about mourning,
          oppressed by the enemy?"

   (10) My bones suffer mortal agony
          as my foes taunt me,
          saying to me all day long,
          "Where is your God?"

   (11) Why are you downcast, O my soul?
          Why so disturbed within me?
          Put your hope in God,
          for I will yet praise him,
          my Savior and my God.

   – Psalm 42

   1. Some of you are familiar with verses 1 and 2. In our church, we sometimes sing a wonderful song with these verses that brings to my mind a time of very intimate worship. But that is probably not what this Psalmist is feeling here. What do you think he’s experiencing?
   2. Notice the atmosphere of doubt surrounding him described in verse 3. What does such an atmosphere do to doubt?
   3. His first strategy is to speak to his own soul. See verse 5. What does he say? What might you say to your soul this morning to stir it awake spiritually?
   4. In verses 8 and 9 he employs further doubt-facing strategies. What are they?
2. Pray
   1. That God will direct you toward truth as you try to face your doubts.
   2. For others who are going through these exercises.

Comments (1)

Doubt and Complaining

1Wednesday, 29 September 2010 14:39

Sondy

I think that complaining is another form of doubt. Do we really believe that God will work all things together for our good, as He promised?

This summer, I had to deal with this, because I got RIF'd from the librarian job I love. At my best, I thought God would work it out for good by giving me a better and higher-paying job. But after 30 applications, nothing on that front is coming out.

But I did get a job with another agency at the same paygrade, so it looks like this is a break from the higher stress, more responsibility, and worse hours at the library. I've been told a librarian's retiring in November, and they can hire me back.

However, there may have been more behind it: A crazy, unpredictable thing happened yesterday: I was told that the Management Analyst I position I'm in now has been reclassed to a higher paygrade.

Now, this doesn't match what someone in Personnel told me, but it looks to me from the Regulations that I should get a 5% pay raise -- and get to keep the pay raise if I accept a "demotion" back to a Librarian I position. What an out of the blue gift from God!

So -- if God can bring good out of losing my job, do you suppose He can bring good out of my needing $1000 of work done on my car today? Guess I shouldn't complain...

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