Today’s subject is about How not to doubt God, and it is quite personal to me because it is something that I myself often deal with.
In those moments when life presents us with situations of uncertainty, our weak faith does not expect the best from God, but is prone to fear or anxiety.
In other words, towards doubt.
Bible verse on not doubting God
On this occasion, we will remember a particular story of the people of Israel after their departure from the land of Egypt.
After the episode in which God separated the Red Sea for them to pass, he also destroyed Pharaoh’s armies.
They were walking in the desert for three days.
No water.
Read with me what happened:
Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur.
For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.
When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter.
(That is why the place is called Marah.)
So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood.
He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.
There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test.
Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.
Exodus 15:22-25, 27
I would like us to review some elements that I believe play an important role in this story.
Identify the causes of your doubts
The first is the reason for the attitude of the people of Israel.
It is very strange to observe a people who three days ago saw the waters of a sea open in two, now thinking that God is going to let them die of thirst.
However, I think we need to be a little more understanding of them.
The people of Israel, collectively, were coming from a situation of trauma.
For four hundred years they had remained in Egypt, during a part of that time they had been abused generationally physically, and psychologically.
During that time, it is not recorded that they had received a manifestation of God like the one they were seeing at the time.
I think one of the reasons why Israel doubted was because there was in its unconscious the idea of abandonment by God.
It was difficult for them, perhaps, to understand that this was not a present reality, and that therefore they could indeed expect the best from the hand of a good God.
Thus, God is patiently leading the people of Israel through a process that could be called almost therapeutic; in which He Himself places them in situations of uncertainty, and then He Himself reaffirms his provision, protection, direction, and companionship.
He is helping them to heal from the idea of abandonment.
God was helping those people heal their past and understand that they could expect the best from Him.
Israel knew what God had recently done for them, but in the face of the uncertainties of the present, hesitated; instead of expecting the best from God.
Be intentional about not doubting
An additional element that I think is worth mentioning is that, despite God’s patience and the understandable attitude of the people, they had the opportunity each time to make conscious decisions, so that they would educate their minds to understand that what they feared no longer corresponded to reality.
They had the opportunity to exercise their trust in God proactively.
In the case of us, I think that these ideas are of general application to us.
Personally, I have found that I also find it challenging to expect God’s best in all circumstances because of issues in my past.
Is that perhaps your situation too?
Conclusion
God shows us his love on a daily basis, we have evidence that he guides us, and yet before the uncertainties, we fear and doubt.
It is worth recognizing that our problems are not with God, for his faithfulness is evident.
Our problem is with ourselves, who need to exercise a proactive and determined trust in God for the future.
You need to ask him if necessary, to heal our past and help us hope for the best from him for the present and for the future.
When Faith Fails: Finding God in the Shadow of Doubt by Dominic Done
What do you think about How not to doubt God? What is your experience? Share in the comments.
A hug, God bless you.
