Many of us have doubts. Doubts about the decisions that we have made. Doubts about our future. We seem plagued by many uncertainties in life causing us to have many doubts within our mind. If we bring our doubts into our worship, we could start to doubt God that is even listening to us or even cares. Maybe our doubts would even make us start questioning the very existence of God. Yes, doubts can be devastating to our faith.
Being a christian you have to have faith in order to believe. Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of the things hoped for, the convection of things not seen." If we have doubts, our faith will be weakened. We will think to ourselves that what we pray and hope for will not be realized. Our doubts could create a barrier to our connection to God, causing us to lose faith. In losing our faith, we may start to look else where for our answers.
The apostle Peter started to have doubts when he walk on water. Matthew 14:28-31 "And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water," 29He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." 31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" Peter started out with a strong faith but he let doubt enter his mind, his connection to God's spirit was blocked by his doubts, causing him to sink.
Even if we want to sincerely serve God and we have doubts about our ability, thereby having doubts that the Holy Spirit can work through us successfully, this will cause us fail at what we are trying to accomplish. Matthew 17:18-20 "And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. 19Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" 20He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move nothing will be impossible for you."
Here is another story telling us not to have doubt in our faith. Jesus Christ was hungry and he saw a fig tree without any fruit. He said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again!" And the fig tree withered at once. Matthew 21:20-22 "When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither at once?" 21And Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' it will happen. 22And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." So we have been shown again, how powerful our faith can be if we do not doubt. Our faith must be pure and untainted by doubt in order for it to work.
We can see that even Jesus Christ's disciples had trouble maintaining their faith. They had doubts to what they could accomplish, but Jesus said to them, if they cast their doubts aside and have a pure faith as small as a mustard seed, nothing will be impossible for them. Doubt becomes a barrier to our connection to God, whereas faith without doubt builds a strong one. Faith without doubt can make miracles happen. (ESV)
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