Don’t Give Up!
Doubt seems to take down the best of us. When we find ourselves struggling in our Christian walk, our faith usually takes the first hit.
You may be doubling down in your prayer time, reading more in your Bible, blasting those Christian songs day and night, yet amid all your effort to stay encouraged, you still feel the ache and debilitating effects of doubt. You wonder if your current situation will ever turn around, if you can overcome your obstacle, or if there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Guess what…it’s totally normal to experience these thoughts! It’s normal to feel the burden of doubt while trying to ground ourselves in our faith. However, we can change the narrative of doubt in our lives with the help of the Holy Spirit.
First, let doubt guide you to Jesus! Doubt is often accompanied by anger, sadness, and other negative emotions, making us susceptible to the enemy’s attacks. But you must sprint toward Christ when you have these emotions and want to run away from Him. In those difficult moments, ask God to help you persevere, and don’t give up because when you give up, the devil will try to convince you that it’s hopeless. Remember, Satan wants to instill doubt in our hearts and make us question God’s goodness and love. Our adversary knows that if we start mistrusting God’s character, we’ll grow cold spiritually and quit seeking the Lord’s help.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28–30)
When life becomes difficult, the heart can be strained, and your faith will be stretched and feel, at times, like it may fail you…but we’re encouraged to come to the Lord and seek rest in Him.
Second, pray! Did you know the Holy Spirit goes before the Lord and speaks on our behalf? When we struggle to find the right words to pray because we feel angry, frustrated, and sorrowful, the Holy Spirit brings our troubles, doubts, and momentary weaknesses before the Lord and intercedes on our behalf. I encourage you to pray and ask God to give you insight into your heart and the power to fight the spiritual battle of doubt, even when you feel overwhelmingly weak and distressed.
Romans 8:26-27 “In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because it intercedes for the holy ones according to God's will.”
Lastly, persevere! It’s important to remember that doubt doesn’t negate faith, so stop going down that rabbit hole and refocus on Him. God expects us to faithfully endure hardships in our daily lives because our troubles are light and momentary in the grand scheme of things. That’s a hard pill to swallow, but it’s true. If in 30 years you look back over your life, the season you’re in now will seem small in hindsight. Trust me sis, I’ve done it in my short, almost 40 years of life, and it’s incredible. It’s amazing to see how Christ has worked in my life, and those massive seasons of doubt and pain, while hard, looking back grew my faith and love of Christ and drew me closer to Him.
Psalm 50:15 “and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
Sis stay strong, don’t give up, and know that God will never leave you. Remember, you never fight this battle alone but with the strength that has been given to you because of the power of Christ, who sacrificed his life so that you would have everything you need, even in the darkest moments of life. He has a plan for your life, a beautiful story of redemption and love, and you need to lean in and believe in the Almighty.
Forever praying for your heart and mind, my friend.