Ditch that Doubt and Develop Firm Faith
Do you
remember the character Eeyore from the classic cartoon series, Winnie the Pooh?
Eeyore, a close friend of Winnie the Pooh, always had a negative outlook on
life. He always expected misfortune and had no hope of things improving. What a
sad way to go through life. That poor, sad, depressed donkey always put himself
down and never thought anything was good enough. Eeyore said
things like, “nobody thinks of me…” and “I’ll learn to live without it.” While
Eeyore is a fictional character, many of us can relate to his doubtful
disposition.
What about
you? Have you ever felt like doubt was your
only constant companion? We, as believers, want to walk through the door of
faith, but doubt stands guard at the door like a bodyguard. Doubt messes us up
because it leaves us feeling depressed, hopeless, and faithless. Doubt can be
like a nasty, little weed growing alongside our faith; it can choke out our
faith and limit the vision we have for our lives. Without even realizing it, doubt
keeps us from ‘seeing’ beyond our natural situations.
We say that God
is a healer, but secretly doubt that He really will heal. We believe God for a
financial breakthrough, but begin to doubt when the creditors call. We plead
with God on behalf of our lost family members, but shake our heads as we
question if change is even possible for them.
How do we just ditch the doubt once
and for all?
Confidently
ditching doubt requires dismissing all traces of it from our minds immediately.
How do we actually do that when the doubts just will not stop swirling? I believe
the answer is that we must have firm faith.
What does that look like, you may ask?
Well, a
follower with firm faith refuses to be doubt-filled and tossed around by the friction
of life. Firm means
securely fixed in place; not being tossed or thrown around. Truthfully, the
word ‘firm’, used as an acronym, can help us to remember how to stand securely
in faith through any situation.
Focus
Whenever you
begin to doubt, you can stop and focus on Jesus. When you really focus on Him,
it is impossible to be tossed and driven by the waves of life. You have to be
deliberate about calming your mind and determining what you will focus on. It
is practically impossible to focus on Jesus and your doubts at the same time.
You have to constantly remind yourself that He is bigger than any situation you
are facing.
Inspect
When you
start to experience doubt, quickly inspect your heart, mind, and speech. What
thoughts are you thinking about your situation? What words are you speaking
about your circumstances? Are your feelings
overwhelming you? What you feel, think and say plays a vital role in your faith
life. Do a quick inspection of your heart and mind right now. What thoughts and feelings have been taking
precedence? You must change the thoughts and words that cause you to doubt. Quickly
inspect the words that you have spoken today. Are your words feeding the doubt
or extinguishing it? Only think and speak things that secure your faith firmly
in place.
Recognize
You must
recognize that your situation is short-term.
I know it seems unbearable, but recognize it for what it is—temporary. It can be so difficult to see your way out of
a situation when you are right in the middle of it. You must keep yourself
uplifted and know that you are coming out!
Memory
If you are
ever going to have firm faith and ditch the doubt, then you must tap into your
memory and meditate on what God has done for you in the past. Memories are an amazing
gift from God. Use it for your benefit!
Once you activate your faith, it is easier to think about all that He
has done for us. Is God a one-time God? Does His grace and power run out? Is
there a limit on your blessings? Of course not! This alone will remind you of
His goodness and power. Your memory helps you to see who God is and what He is capable
of. Hebrews 13:8 (KJV) states Jesus
Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Since this is so, how can He ever fail you?
I think it is safe to say that your
faith is so very important to God. He wants you to ditch the doubt immediately
and live out your faith firmly in Him.
Guess what? You can do it! He already said you would be victorious!
I want to hear from YOU!
Question: How has doubt tried to hold you back?
Your Sister in Christ,
Prayer: Heavenly Father, We bind up the spirit of doubt today in Jesus' Name. Doubt no longer has any power in the lives of those reading this. We loose the freedom to live out our faith firmly in you. In Jesus' Mighty Name we pray, Amen.
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RELATED POSTS: Dusty Dreams || Delay or Dead End?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, We bind up the spirit of doubt today in Jesus' Name. Doubt no longer has any power in the lives of those reading this. We loose the freedom to live out our faith firmly in you. In Jesus' Mighty Name we pray, Amen.
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RELATED POSTS: Dusty Dreams || Delay or Dead End?
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