How to Overcome Doubt and Have the Confident Faith You Want
I’m thankful to have grown up under a pastor who told us it was okay to doubt and ask questions.
When life is hard the enemy will tempt us to doubt God’s goodness. When we are lacking he’ll tempt us to doubt God’s supply. When we’re ashamed he wants us to doubt God’s forgiveness. And when we’re waiting on God’s timing he wants us to doubt God’s love.
The enemy wants us to doubt our faith. He wants to keep us from confident faith.
Our pastor would say,
The problem is not that you have doubts the problem can only be what you do with your doubts if your doubts lead you to ASK questions, SEEK answers, and KNOCK on the throne room door through prayer.
Jesus said:
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”
Matthew 7:7
Ask for knowledge and understanding, wisdom and God will give them to you.
Thomas doubted.
“I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
John 20:25b
But he didn’t walk away. He knew that if Jesus’ resurrection was true . . . it changed everything! So he asked and he sought answers. And eight days later Jesus once again stood among the disciples and…
He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
John 20:27
Thomas replied…
My Lord and my God!
John 20:28
Jesus didn’t judge Thomas. He didn’t berate or rebuke him. He came to him and showed him the TRUTH!
I AM ALIVE! You can BELIEVE!
Then He promised.
“Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
John 20:29b
You and I have the eye-witness testimony, of those who had confident faith because they saw Him, to answer our questions and show us the TRUTH!
A Prayer to Overcome Doubt with Confident Faith
Lord, thank you for loving me . . . even when I have doubts and questions. Thank you for willingly coming to show us the truth. Your Word says that the enemy of my soul is the “Father of Lies.” (John 8:44) He is the source of so much of the world’s suffering and the one who wants us to doubt You to question Your love. Please forgive me.
I bring my doubts to You and ask You to give me confident faith. Please strengthen me and make me a SEEKer of Your TRUTH. I give myself to You and I ask You to empower me with Your Spirit to search the Scriptures that I might KNOW, LOVE, TRUST, and OBEY Your will. Open my eyes that I might see Your nail-scarred hands and overcome my doubts. Your love is evident in everything You do and by Your gift of grace . . . I BELIEVE! Amen.
John concluded his account of Thomas’ doubt with these words:
The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.
John 20:30–31
I love that . . . these were written so you and I might believe. These were written that we might have confident faith that Jesus is the Son of God and source of LIFE. We can take our doubts and questions to Him. He will never reject us when we ASK, SEEK, and KNOCK—when we turn to His Word and go to Him in prayer.
On today’s note write:
For Confident Faith – ASK, SEEK, and KNOCK!
God bless you today as you surrender your doubts to the Lord in prayer and turn to His Word with faith and hope.
Click here to read the rest of John 20.
I had a former pastor who said the same thing about doubts, Deb. Yes, we will have them, but we must bring them to God in faith and trust that as we seek, He will help us find.
Blessings!
I love that Jesus told us to Ask, Seek, and Knock . . . He wants us to know Him. And when we do—I believe we will be drawn into His love. God bless you, dear friend!
Amen thank you soon much , God bless you ????
God bless you, Elisabet!
Just last night I was walking with tears… asking God, “Are you REALLY there? Do you really care about all our trivial junk down here???” Thanks for your post today. I need more FAITH.
Thank you so much, Nina! I think we all have days that are overwhelming and God feels distant. I’m praying for you today and asking God to hold you close, to cover you with His presence and peace, and assure you of His love. God bless you!
When my doubts lead me to seek your face O’ Lord, You are there standing in my midst. I will go on seeking, knocking and asking until I find You. Your words today have filled my spirit and when the enemy tries to fill my head with confusion, I will rest in the Lord and leave them at the foot of the the cross, where Jesus will wash over them and replace them with His peace.
Blessings Deb.
Angela – Ireland
Amen! May God’s blessings cover you as well, Angela!