DAILY DEVOTIONAL – JANUARY 16, 2023  How to Navigate Doubt By Gary Wilkerson

Does doubt make us stronger? Is it ‘Christian’ to have doubts? There is very little I don’t doubt. Throughout my life and its many twists and turns, I have often been filled with doubts. The good news is that doubt isn’t going to rob you of the goodness of God. He won’t withhold himself from you just because your faith is mixed in with questions and uncertainties. Jesus still healed the child of the father who cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (see Mark 9:17-27). God is a holy God, and we should always approach him with reverence; but doubt is not irreverence, and God understands our questions. He doesn’t diminish his relationship with us or his miracle-working power in us, if our faith is sometimes mixed with doubt. Believe it or not, doubt can promote a greater revelation of God within us. We can see more of God’s glory when we are willing to wrestle with our conflicts and get to the other side of our questions with a more solid faith and deeper knowledge of him. There are three steps to working through doubt. First, approach your doubt with an honest heart. If we say, “I want truth and life,” we will find truth and life. If we’re trying to simply prove a point or avoid obedience to God, we aren’t being honest. Next, take time to meditate and study the scriptures. We live such busy lives that many of us are holding on to doubts that we have simply ignored for years. We don’t take the time to quietly contemplate and enter those doubts. I use a notepad and write down things that I'm wrestling with. I reach for my Bible and seek out the harmony of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. Finally, find a good Christian friend to talk to. If you're in a church environment where you can't express your doubts, you need to find a person of faith who will listen with an open heart. Even pastors face doubts, and they especially need a trustworthy friend or counselor. Don’t be afraid to take your questions to God. He loves your honesty, and he has provided a clear path from doubt to faith. It’s a lifelong process of meditation, searching the scriptures and seeking God; but it will always yield a stronger, more robust, relationship with him. If you're like me, you’ll enjoy the journey.