Having doubts?
Doubts. To me, it means a series of thoughts which contradict and cause me to disbelieve my current beliefs or principles. I have my own share of doubts about many things-including God and my salvation. One day I came to read Psalm 77. The description in this pslam describes how I feel when I have doubts. I sometimes have thoughts like this "I have doubted...what can i do? can i still go to God...? will he entertain my foolish thoughts?"
I was pondering all these one day and I happened to read Psalm 77 and I got my answer.
Psalm 77
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.
1 I cried out to God for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.
2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands
and my soul refused to be comforted.
3 I remembered you, O God, and I groaned;
I mused, and my spirit grew faint.
Selah
4 You kept my eyes from closing;
I was too troubled to speak.
5 I thought about the former days,
the years of long ago;
6 I remembered my songs in the night.
My heart mused and my spirit inquired:
7 "Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?"
Selah
10 Then I thought, "To this I will appeal:
the years of the right hand of the Most High."
11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will meditate on all your works
and consider all your mighty deeds.
13 Your ways, O God, are holy.
What god is so great as our God?
14 You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.
15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
Selah
16 The waters saw you, O God,
the waters saw you and writhed;
the very depths were convulsed.
17 The clouds poured down water,
the skies resounded with thunder;
your arrows flashed back and forth.
18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
your lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and quaked.
19 Your path led through the sea,
your way through the mighty waters,
though your footprints were not seen.
20 You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
When i read this psalm, i realised that my feelings were exactly what was described in verse 7 to verse 9.
7 "Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?"
Selah
here, the psalmist was having doubtful thoughts just like mine. God impressed on my heart, "See. you are not the only one. Someone else experianced it also."
The psalmist also proveides a sort of 'cure' to overcome doubts. The following verses after that was about what the psalmist did when facing his doubts. He turned his focus to God and remembering God's faithfulness in the past. He recalls the time when God used Moses to lead the Isrealites out of Egypt.
Likewise, I learned that to help counter doubts, I have to refocus my thoughts to God and reject lies that are put into my mind by the evil one or dounts birthed out of my heart. I can recall the past and remember and recall the many ways God has been faithful. Since he is an unchanging God, why should his 'unfailing love vanish forever' ? I also realised that it is ok to be direct with God about by doubts. The psalmist was very direct as you can read. He just named his doubts, one after another. Likewise, I learned to just voice everything to Him with confidence He will hear. Praise the Lord!!!
Solis Deo Gloria!!
Ian
p.s. feel free to comment yah. :P
I was pondering all these one day and I happened to read Psalm 77 and I got my answer.
Psalm 77
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.
1 I cried out to God for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.
2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands
and my soul refused to be comforted.
3 I remembered you, O God, and I groaned;
I mused, and my spirit grew faint.
Selah
4 You kept my eyes from closing;
I was too troubled to speak.
5 I thought about the former days,
the years of long ago;
6 I remembered my songs in the night.
My heart mused and my spirit inquired:
7 "Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?"
Selah
10 Then I thought, "To this I will appeal:
the years of the right hand of the Most High."
11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will meditate on all your works
and consider all your mighty deeds.
13 Your ways, O God, are holy.
What god is so great as our God?
14 You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.
15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
Selah
16 The waters saw you, O God,
the waters saw you and writhed;
the very depths were convulsed.
17 The clouds poured down water,
the skies resounded with thunder;
your arrows flashed back and forth.
18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
your lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and quaked.
19 Your path led through the sea,
your way through the mighty waters,
though your footprints were not seen.
20 You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
When i read this psalm, i realised that my feelings were exactly what was described in verse 7 to verse 9.
7 "Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?"
Selah
here, the psalmist was having doubtful thoughts just like mine. God impressed on my heart, "See. you are not the only one. Someone else experianced it also."
The psalmist also proveides a sort of 'cure' to overcome doubts. The following verses after that was about what the psalmist did when facing his doubts. He turned his focus to God and remembering God's faithfulness in the past. He recalls the time when God used Moses to lead the Isrealites out of Egypt.
Likewise, I learned that to help counter doubts, I have to refocus my thoughts to God and reject lies that are put into my mind by the evil one or dounts birthed out of my heart. I can recall the past and remember and recall the many ways God has been faithful. Since he is an unchanging God, why should his 'unfailing love vanish forever' ? I also realised that it is ok to be direct with God about by doubts. The psalmist was very direct as you can read. He just named his doubts, one after another. Likewise, I learned to just voice everything to Him with confidence He will hear. Praise the Lord!!!
Solis Deo Gloria!!
Ian
p.s. feel free to comment yah. :P
posted by child_of_God at 2:11 AM
2 Comments:
Hi Ian. I couldn't agree with you more! Sometimes, doubt can be like cancerous cells in the body. We need to bring them into the open, into the Presence of God so that they would not continue to cause damage to our bodies. Moreover, God is much bigger than any doubt that can possibly bring.
Waai- <3
Nice one. I'll go read up on it.. ^-^
Btw, you should stick to it. Y'know, don't doubt, trust. You CAN do it. Ganbaterimasu! -^___^-
AYA
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