Doubt can drown you, but doubt can also be drowned by you. Great men of faith like Abraham, Zachariah, Philip, Peter, and Thomas had moments of doubt in their walk of faith. At times, doubt occurs when what we expect is not happening; and, when what shouldn’t be happening is happening. Learn 5 tips to help you overcome doubt.
Vladimir Savchuk
Day 1
Scripture: John 20:24-25
Let’s look at the life of Thomas, Jesus’ disciple.
Thomas missed the meeting where the disciples were together and talked about the resurrection of Jesus. He didn’t see the evidence or the testimony of the others. Because he wasn’t around, doubt began to stir within him, “Unless I see…I will not believe.” In other words, “Did Jesus really rise from the dead?”
Isolation feeds doubt.
When we stay close to a community of Believers it helps us to overcome doubt.
Oftentimes when you stay at home, decide to skip small-group, or choose to disregard a meeting with other believers, your doubts begin to magnify instead of being squashed and drowned by the community of Believers around you. In a community of believers, It’s not that you’ll never have thoughts of doubt, but your mind will be protected.
Outside of a community, your doubts will only enlarge and you will be overwhelmed by them. Think of the example of snowflakes. Snowflakes by themselves are weak, but when they are joined with others they are an unstoppable force. Believers are like snowflakes when by themselves. Outside of a community, your doubts will only enlarge and you will be overwhelmed by them.
Don’t isolate yourself.
Today’s Challenge:
Make an effort to meet with someone, call someone, or go join a small group at your local church. Whatever it is, fight doubt by staying close to other Believers.
Day 2
Scriptures: John 20:29, Isaiah 49:14-16
The Bible tells us of a time when the Israelites said, “God has forsaken us”
The prophet reminds them and says, “I inscribed you in the palm of My hand…Can a nursing mother forget her child?… I will never forget you.”
When your mind is bombarded with doubt, you have to remember to focus not on what you feel but what God’s Word says.
Remember that God loves you– unconditionally. It’s through love that we overcome fear and doubt.
Focus on His love for you, not on your love for God.
Not on how big or small your love for God is. Focus on the amazing love that Jesus has for you.
Today’s Challenge:
Spend time focusing on God’s love for you. Find a Bible verse that demonstrates that to you personally, and meditate on it today.
Day 3
Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:32-37
When we focus on what God has not done we end up feeding our doubt.
When we focus on what God has done we feed our faith.
When David walked to fight Goliath, he remembered all the times where God had previously delivered him.
In those stories, there was also a component we see highlighted – God didn’t “protect” Him from those lions and bears. David could have remembered how God allowed the bears and lions to attack him, but in that miraculous story of deliverance, he chose to remember what God had done instead of what God didn’t do, or what He allowed to happen.
Most of us have stories where certain things were “allowed” to happen to us, and we build monuments of the things God has not done, instead of building memorials for what God has done.
When you have doubt filling you up, remember the miracles of God in your life. You’ll see how your faith will be made stronger and your doubt will drown.
Today’s Challenge:
Think about three victories God gave you in this past year. Begin to meditate on them and take some time to give God thanks.
Day 4
Scriptures: Mark 9:23-24, Matthew 14:22-32, Psalms 116:1-2
Do you remember the story in the Bible where the father of the son who was demon-possessed comes up to Jesus? After speaking, the father replies to Jesus and says, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.”
He admitted to Jesus that he was struggling in his faith. Jesus worked with the faith that he had.
When Peter was drowning, He called out to Jesus and Jesus helped him.
Don’t think for a moment that because you’re doubting, the Lord will not listen to you.
John the Baptist had questions –”Is Jesus the One?” Jesus didn’t shame him for having those questions, he only reminded him of what He was doing. John thought that Jesus was going to deliver him and when He didn’t, doubts arose within Him.
Call on Jesus during these times. He will help you.
Today’s Challenge:
Make a note or mental note of all the things that are causing you doubt. Identify the root causes, and spend some time bringing them to God in prayer.
Day 5
Scriptures: Psalms 27:1, Psalms 50:15, Isaiah 41:10
In order to climb out of this cloud of overwhelming doubt – confront the devil with the Word of God. Although doubt is an emotion, it can also be a weapon that the devil uses to overthrow your confidence in God.
He did that with Adam and Eve. Before he could defeat Eve, he had to disarm her. How?
Through doubt.
The devil’s strategy is always the same: doubt, disarm, defeat.
When the devil made Eve doubt, he allowed there to be a question mark in her mind. That quickly disarmed her and made her eat the fruit without any refrain. Jesus faced the same battle in the wilderness. The devil tells Him, “…If you are the son of God…”
Doubt is evident in the moments when the devil makes you question everything that you were once very sure about. Doubt works in the dark.
Speak to those doubts. Speak what God has written in His word. Don’t live off of what “God said,” live off of what God wrote.
Jesus lived off of what God wrote and it was through speaking the written Word that He was able to defeat the devil and his plan against His life.
When you feel as though your doubts are amplified, don’t just call upon the Lord, begin to speak the Word of God back to your doubts.
Today’s Challenge:
Identify what the enemy is trying to make you doubt – equip yourself with Scriptures hidden in your heart. When your doubts get loud, make sure to get louder with the Word of God.