Doubt-Proofing My Life

Is it really possible to doubt proof my life – to journey confidently through each season, tribulation, or loss without a trace of doubt? It is very doubtful.

Writers all over the web are talking about doubt these days. The discussion has allowed many believers to take their masks off and openly admit their own wrestling matches with doubt. But the truth is that doubt is not new. It’s as old as the ancients of Scripture. Just read through the Bible again with your “doubt glasses” on. You’ll find Abraham faltering in his faith and fathering Ishmael. You’ll see Joshua crying on his face before God when Israel failed at Ai. He was overwhelmed with a sense of failure overshadowed by doubting the validity of God’s promises. Join Elijah under the tree in the wilderness doubting his call and God’s ability to bring revival to Israel. Glance through the prophets and see the valleys of doubt nestled beside lofty prophecies.

Doubt seems to be one of the many facets of the human journey of faith. While the journey may be largely described as victorious and joyful, many of our biblical forbears experienced times of searching and even despair. As humans with limited understanding of spiritual realities and a propensity to trundle after our emotions, it is more than likely that we will experience times of doubt. The more amazing element of our journey is our ability to recover from doubt and follow after our God with resolute submission and the wonder of ensuing joy.

While I don’t believe that we can fully doubt-proof our lives, I believe an awareness of its likelihood to appear somewhere on our faith journey can help us be better prepared when it blusters near in its attempt to derail or devastate us. Doubt questions God’s Word, God’s promises, God’s ways, and God’s character. We can take comfort in the fact that doubt need not deter us from a victorious journey. In fact doubt can be the means of deepening our roots into the eternal source and strengthening our stance in the raging winds attempting to devastate all that is God’s in this age. In that sense, times of doubt are beneficial in developing the strength and breadth of our faith. And for that reason, I don’t think I’ll work on that doubt-proofing idea. I think I’ll focus instead on developing my ability to press into God and his Word. What about you?