Doubt

Recently, we were having a conversation with a friend of ours and the subject of doubt came up.  We thought it would be good if we made it a point to talk a bit about it.  Jesus understood the power of faith and doubt and made it a point to do whatever was necessary to remove the doubt and reinforce the faith.

When Jesus encountered doubt at Jairus' home when He was asked to heal his daughter, He first removed all the weeping mourners.  Why?  Because they didn't believe that Jesus could raise the girl, they continued with their mourning.

When He found doubt in Thomas after the resurrection, He told Thomas to put his hand in the wounds on His side and to touch his nail prints in His hands.  Why?  So that Thomas would be able to feel that Jesus was not some sort of apparition but was, once again, flesh and blood.

I don't think Jesus is surprised by our doubts.  In fact, I think He has come to expect them because of our fallen nature.  However, when Jesus encountered those with great faith, He was taken aback.  The centurion that came to Jesus asking for the healing of his servant.  Jesus told the man He would come.  But the man refused.  He told Jesus to just speak the word and it would be done.  This kind of faith blew Jesus away!!  A Roman centurion telling Jesus that he believed in the power that Jesus possessed was almost too much for Jesus to take.

Standing for your marriage can be, and most likely will be, a lonely road.  Not many around will be encouraging your faith that God will restore that which the enemy is actively tearing apart.  This is why your faith in Christ and what His power can do is so extremely vital to your stand.

Doubt will be a crushing blow to your stand.  Doubt cripples the full power of God.  Only you and I can bring doubt to life.  The enemy may plant seeds of doubt by questioning what you believe....your faith.  But, you and I allow doubt to grow and prosper by not answering that question with the right answer.  The devil says, "What if....?"  Well, what's your answer?

Will you let your imagination run wild and think of every conceivable outcome other than the ones where God reigns supreme?  Or will you boldly and loudly declare what the promises of God are, what He has spoken directly to you concerning this matter, and what the Word of God says about it?  Will you proclaim the mighty power of a loving, rescuing, and restoring God in the midst of the brokenness of your life and marriage?  Will you speak words of faith or believe the lies of the devil?

You may not be able to see what is happening or what will happen but that is what faith is!!  The assurance of things hoped for and evidence of what isn't seen!  So, you can't see your spouse coming home?  Believe it anyway!  You can't see your marriage restored?  Believe it will be anyway.

More on this tomorrow...

Josh and Serena