Don’t Let Doubt Stop You
Is doubt robbing you from faithfully moving forward in life? If so, in today's video, I'm offering an encouraging message to help you push through doubt and live with a faith that can move mountains.
Doubt is like a mountain right in front of you. It doesn't make getting to your destination impossible, but it sure does make it much more difficult. As I'm moving forward with some things that the Lord is calling me to do, I've recently found myself facing doubt more than I would like.
Some of the things that I'm trying to accomplish, I've tried before and have not succeeded. You’d think trying something for the second or third time would make it easier as you've learned from the past, but many times, doubt comes along and you find yourself questioning if you're really ready this time. What if you fail again and wonder if you're wasting your time and energy? Doubt sucks the passion and energy we once had for a matter with the specific intent of suggesting we stop while we are ahead. But as I was praying to the Lord at church, He placed an encouraging word in my spirit. He said, doubt can only make you think you are defeated. Doubt is an opinion. It's not the truth.
When the prophet Elijah knew that a three and a half year drought in the land was about to end, he called for his servant to go towards the sea to look for any sign of rain.
We read about it in 1 Kings 18:43-44:
“And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” And he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go again,” seven times. And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’ (1 Kings 18:43-44 ESV)
At Elijah's request, his servant went to see if there was any sign of rain, came back, and reported there was nothing. Elijah said, “Go again.” So the servant went, looked, and came back with the same report.
There was no sign of rain. There were no clouds. There was nothing. Still, Elijah sends his servants seven times to look for rain. Now let's put ourselves in his servant's shoes. Can you imagine his potential frustration? Can you imagine the doubt he may have incurred going back that many times with the expectation that nothing had changed? Because up until the seventh time, nothing had changed. See, if Elijah had not sent his servant, I don't think he would have gone. He very well may have stopped at the first report, never to see God's faithfulness fulfilled by the ending of this drought.
This makes me wonder how many times we have missed God's promises fulfilled in our own lives because we stop at the first report. We give up after the first try or the second try or the third try. Our God is a promise keeper, but doubt will prevent us from seeing His faithfulness in our lives. Doubt will tell us to stop when we really need to go again.
The Israelites marched around Jericho seven times before the wall fell. Elijah sent his servant seven times to look for a sign of rain. Hannah prayed over and over again for a son.
Sometimes you have to go again over and over again to get to where it is that God is taking you. We want the journey to be a straight shot, but God is more concerned with working on our hearts than simply getting us to a desired destination with the shortest route possible.
Sure doubt is going to make you want to quit. The enemy will be right there in your ear, telling you to give up on that marriage. Give up on that dream, give up on that business, give up hope for that child, and the weight of serial failure will make you want to stop. But if we're talking about something that God has called you to, if it's experiencing the manifestation of God's promise in your life, then you have to go again. Because if God's hand is on it, the enemy can only make you think you're defeated.
- Doubt says you failed. Faith says you're learning.
- Doubt says you're wasting your time. Faith says God is working it out in His perfect time.
- Doubt says it won't work out. Faith says God is in control.
- Doubt says it's beyond repair. Faith says God has the final say.
- Doubt says the dream is too big. Faith says, My God is bigger.
- Doubt says you're crazy. Faith says you're called.
Just because your path may look crooked or you find yourself rounding the same corner for the 10th, 11th, or 12th time, go one more. Don't give up. Push past the doubt and exercise a level of faith that moves the mountains of doubt in your life. Go back, do it again. Try once more. And if it doesn't work out, go again. Go again, go again.
Now, I'd love to hear from you, Beloved. Please comment and let me know what mountains of doubt you are facing in this season of your life and what encourages you to keep going?
For more Beloved encouragement, download the Beloved Women app for unlimited videos to grow your faith, learn God’s Word, and encourage your soul available in the Apple or Google play stores or at belovedwomen.tv
As always, be beautiful, be blessed, and beloved.
Author
