Self-Doubt

Do you suffer from self-doubt? Do you doubt God's desire to help you?

Sometimes we do doubt God but more than we doubt God we doubt ourselves. We suffer from self-doubt. We don't doubt God CAN do it but WILL He do it for me? He may do it for you but will He do it for me? James 1:5 talks about the trials and tribulations we have and tells us that when we're having a problem, even when we don't deserve it, we can go to God at anytime and can boldly ask Him to help us and He will without reproach or fault finding. Reproach is like "yes I'll help you but let me remind you of what you've done." God is not like we are. He helps us without reproach or faultfinding. Therefore, even when you know you've not been good and don't deserve His help you need to go boldly to the throne and ask Him to get involved in your situation and help you.

The word "doubt" in Greek means to be without a way. We're never without a way as Jesus is THE WAY. So when you hear the phrase "there's no way"..."there's no way that this is going to work” that’s a good time to open your mouth and reply..."Jesus IS the way"..."I may not know what it is but He does." Another part of the definition of "doubt" means to be embarrassed. This is why we often waver back and forth. There is a part of us that believes if for some reason we're wrong and God doesn't come through for us that we're gonna be embarrassed when we have to face up to people why it didn't happen in our life. Doubt also means to be perplexed, to be at a loss, to stand in two ways, to have things up in the air. When you have a relationship with God things are never up in the air. God is always working behind the scenes of your life.

What is self-doubt? Ephesians 3:12 says "In Him and through faith in Him we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach) to God." In other words, we can boldly approach God with freedom and confidence because of our faith in Christ. Because of our faith in Jesus we can dare to ask God for BIG things. God wants us to exercise our faith for BIG things...for things your mind cannot get into agreement with. When you step out and get bold and daring in your faith the enemy is going to ask you "who do you think you are?" He will then remind you of everything you've done wrong. Wouldn't you rather believe for a lot and get some of it than believe for a little and get all of it?

Do you pray and ask God to give you favor with people? Be bold and aggressive in your faith. We don't do this because we are too busy looking at ourselves and our mistakes. We dare not expect God to do things for us because we are focused on our imperfection as opposed to HIS perfection. So many people are not qualified to do what they're doing. Joyce Meyer does not have a theology degree or any formal training in public speaking or writing yet she has authored hundreds of books and speaks to millions of people worldwide. God equips those he calls. What you're not God IS! When God called Joshua to take Moses's place (Joshua 1:5) He assured him that he would be with Him like he was with Moses. He didn't say, "be like Moses." Moses had weaknesses that God filled up. Joshua had weaknesses that God filled up.

Stop doubting yourself. God doesn't do great things for you because YOU are great. He does them because HE is great. And it shows His greatness more when He does them through people the world would think "really"? They think, "THAT has to be God because without HIM it just wouldn't be possible." Jeremiah was another guy (like Moses) who just kept looking at himself. Jeremiah 1:5-6 tells us God had approved of him before he formed him in his mother's womb. Nobody knows you like God. Psalm 139:4 says that every word not yet on our tongue God already knows it. He already knows every dumb thing you and I will do and still chooses to use us anyway. There's no point in promising God perfection. Have you ever made plans for holiness and perfection while you're still lying in the warmth of your cozy? Quiet bed in the morning? How long did that last? The minute your feet hit the floor and another person entered your space! It’s not hard to be nice when there no people around...it's the people that make it tough.

Jeremiah is 1:5-6 says "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou came forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah Lord God behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child." Sound familiar? "I'm too young, I'm too old, I'm not educated, I have no money, I'm not equipped, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not". Mother Teresa said if you have three pennies and God you can do ANYTHING! Maybe you need to stop saying some of the things you've been saying. The worst thing you can do is say downgrading things about yourself out of your own mouth, You can't stop others from talking about you but you can stop yourself from talking about you. Jeremiah 1:7-8 "But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord." We get so concerned about what other people say and let their words dictate our actions. Jeremiah 1:19 says "They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord." There will be battles in this life you will have to fight. You may be in the fight of your life right now but you will prevail. Keep saying, "God is going to come through for me. God is working.” What He promises will manifest if you keep believing and don't quit. Your faith may be being tested but everyone's is. Pass your test so you don't have to take it again. An interesting thing about God's school... you never flunk out, you keep getting to take the test over and over again until you finally get it right. Maybe you're going around the same mountain a thousand times. While it's true you may be circling at a higher level you may just need to climb over it and get it over with.

What was Moses response when God called Him? In Exodus 4 we see that Moses did not feel equipped for the task God had give him..."God, you've got the wrong man". He threw his rod down and it turned into a serpent... picked it back up again and it was a rod. He saw miracle after miracle and he still kept coming back to God saying that he was not enough... was not eloquent, couldn't speak... was not the right choice. This is a great example proving that God will meet you where you're at. Finally, after hearing Moses "I can't speak" excuse he gave him Aaron to speak for him. Indeed, God meets us where we are. You're never going to be at peace by not doing what God has called you to do. Procrastination is a very close relative to doubt. What kind of faith (read 1 Samuel 17 slowly and often) did it take for David to face Goliath? David was the most unlikely person...he wasn't even considered for the job. But he wasn't looking at himself, the others or the giant...he was looking at God. Look at all the things David was saying... he was calling those things that be not as though they are before he ever got there. 1 Samuel 17:48 says "When the Philistine came forward to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine." He didn't think it to death... he just got the job done. We often get the "paralysis of analysis"... we just try to figure it out... we can't even remember what God wants us to do because we've looked at Goliath for so long. Think about it...God didn't even want him using a real weapon... all he had was a slingshot and a few stones. If you really take the time to read these stories in the Bible you will see these people are no different than you and I are today. They are real people, with real problems, who had real faith in God. Just like you and I they had doubt, things coming against them. They had to see the circumstances and move beyond them. You don't see more than a page or two written about the doubters and unbelievers. Don't you want to be one of the ones who make it to the end of the book? The one who didn't give up but pressed through to the finish line, who stood strong and firm with God? Hanging on with God may be difficult at times but you'll be so glad you didn't give up when He splits the Eastern sky for you.

Persevere, stand firm, don't give up and you will have ALL that God has promised you. In order to fulfill God's plan for our life we must step out in faith and take some risks. You gotta step out to find out. If you find out you've stepped out the wrong way then step back. It's not the end of the world. Are you afraid to let go of something that God is finished with to step forward into a new area He is calling you to? Often we'd rather have something that is unfulfilling and doesn't make us happy rather than step out in unchartered waters. Faith doesn't give you a blueprint of everything that God is going to do. Faith says let go, get moving and trust God to do something that will amaze you and leave your mouth hanging open in awe. The Bible says that Abraham left and he went even though he didn't know where he was going, nor did he trouble his mind about where he was to go. (Hebrews 11:8)

Some of you today don't feel God and you don't see Him working. You have these doubts coming against your mind and all these negative circumstances you are dealing with. You feel God has forgotten you. The truth is this... God is leading you and guiding you more than you think He is. You will end up where you are supposed to be at the right time and it will be better than what you could ever have imagined. We cannot always escape doubt because it will try to creep in, but we can learn to starve our doubts and feed our faith. Start feeding yours today my friend. Spend time in the Book of Samuel reading about how David defeated Goliath. Faith comes by hearing God's truth. The more you fill your mind up with truth the less room there is for doubt.

God Bless You!

In Christ, Sherry :-)

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