The last issue of Real Women encouraged a time of “spring cleaning” in our heart. It revealed that taking the time to deep clean those recesses of our heart, (those areas where in the busyness of life, seeds of resentment, hurt, or disappointments have a tendency to accumulate) allows space for good seeds to grow.

In the natural, if we clean as we go, the result is much less dirt over all. Spring cleaning becomes less of an ordeal because the house has been maintained all year long. Apply that same philosophy to the spiritual cleaning of the heart. An ounce of prevention will save us not only time, but also heartache. The weed seeds of doubt, resentment, un-forgiveness, and the like will not be allowed to gather or germinate in the first place, because each is dealt with as it appears.

This goal of cleaning as we go, especially during complicated seasons of life, is much easier said than done, for life can be busy and difficult. But if we stay focused we can recognize and combat one of the biggest weeds: that of doubt.

In our travels, we have come across so many people dealing with diverse, difficult trials; such as sickness, tough family issues, church conflicts, financial tests and disappointments when life does not turn out as expected. People in the Bible also faced such trials. Psalm 107 details some fairly typical life struggles. These descriptions of people include those who were lost and confused, walking in the wilderness (vv. 4-9), those that were captive (vv. 10-16), those that were ill, (vv17-22), and the common plight of sailors (vv.23-32). In each case, the writer declares the difficulties and then discusses how the people cried unto the Lord and He delivered them out of their troubles and doubts.

As I am writing these brief descriptions they sound so mundane. However, if I were describing my time in the wilderness, my captivity, my season of illness or my trip on a tempestuous ship, the emotions and realities of each difficulty would take on a completely different tone. It is in the midst of our personal difficulties or challenges (or those closes to us) that we come face to face with our ability or lack thereof to “give thanks to the Lord, for He is good”. Why? Inward reasoning and questionings begin a flurry of mental activity. We are drawn away from what we know is truth and like termites eating away at our foundation, we begin to wonder what we are standing on.

It is during our times of difficulty that we face the challenge to either believe we serve a “good” God, or fall into despair: fearing that God may not be as good as we hoped. Questions like, “If He truly is ‘good’ would He allow me to go through such trials?” and other types of doubt begin to assail our minds and emotions during such episodes.

Our “spiritual” man says “Yes, God is good.” Our natural man may rise up and say, “Are you sure?” Scripture declares God is good. Satan and our natural mind work against our knowledge of that truth. In other words, whenever doubts creep in, faith begins to seep out. God's personality and character, and therefore His ability to move in our life are under siege.

Doubt is subtle and sneaky. This subtleness will begin to work its deception unless we are on our guard. We will find ourselves living by doubt, rather than faith, if we are not watchful. When we believe God and act on that belief all is well. Our faith is engaged and we move ahead.

Many times it is in the very act of choosing to move ahead, that doubtful questions begin to occur. These questions authored by Satan, or our own natural mind, begin to challenge our confidence. Doubt, in its very nature, casts suspicion. Satan works to cause us not to trust in God’s nature. He aims to cause us to feel unconvinced or uncertain about where we have placed our faith. He works to cause our mind to suspect that God’s ways are not true, that we are in fact, stupid, silly and wrong to put our trust in the Lord. Going back to our examples found in Psalm 107, we find that while the Israelites left Egypt in faith, doubts began to arise at each point of difficulty as when they were confronted by the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s chase. Questions began to arise. Fear joined the questions and many of them wanted to return to bondage.

Examine your thoughts. How many times do you succumb to “innocent’ but deadly questioning? Are you really sure God is leading you that way? (Doubt) How can it possibly work out? (Doubt). Do you really think God heals today? (Doubt) Why should you receive that answer to prayer? (Doubt) Did God really forgive you? (Doubt)

These seeds of doubt are usually quite small at the beginning. Ignored they can take root and grow and infiltrate every part of our life, until we discard our faith and walk in unbelief. This is very serious. Just this very week we met a father asking us to pray for his son because he had fallen prey to these doubts, and has effectively “lost his faith”..

So how do we combat doubt?

• Understand that every believer is vulnerable to seeds of doubt. That means you.
• Magnify the Lord. Make Him large in your sight. Since the beginning of doubt is suspicion and questioning, understand who our God is. The serpent planted doubt of God’s goodness in Adam’s mind, and he continues with us today.
• Doubt attacks your mind, so we must guard our thoughts.
• Expose your doubts. Confess them to those whom you trust in the Lord.
• When questioning (doubting) comes, take the time to examine their root. Vague uncertainties and thinking that takes you around in circles are not from God. Reject thoughts that are not clear.
• Determine to grow in your knowledge of the Truth. Just as bank tellers study real currency to spot counterfeit, so as we grow in the knowledge of His Word and our relationship with Him, we will more easily catch the early seeds of doubt.
• Growth in faith will repel doubts. There will be no place for them to take root. Exercise your faith.
• Do not let condemnation assault you when you discover a doubtful heart. Repent and move on. Peter didn’t quit, even after he needed Jesus to rescue him from the waves, when doubt almost caused him to drown. Matthew 14:31
• Allow the Holy Spirit to point out strongholds of doubt in your life. Ask Him to break them down and remove them from you. Matthew 14:31, Luke 24:38
• Fix your eyes on God. Doubt attempts to draw our focus away from God and onto ourselves, others or our circumstances. When God is our focus, we cannot forget who He is.
• Cultivate a heart of thankfulness to the Lord, for He truly is good. In taking the time to be thankful for what He has done, we will be looking forward to what He will do to fulfill His Word in our lives.

Doubts happen. When they do, do not be afraid, just deal with them. Remember we are called to walk by faith, not by doubt. Overcoming doubt will cause personal growth, bring more fruitfulness and strengthen others in their faith.

Written by Martha Rodman