Doubting Again (from the archives)

**Originally posted October 2012**

This is the 2nd and final part of a series on doubt. For part one: CLICK HERE. 

Last week I said that everyone has doubts - everyone. The good news is that we don't have to feel guilty about it. We can embrace our doubt and allow it to lead to belief. 

So, how do we take all the doubts that we have and live from a position of faith? What do we do when doubts creep in on the big stuff, like God? When we doubt that God hears us when our lives are a mess, or our social life is non-existent, or temptation is stronger than its ever been? What do we do when we doubt that God is even paying attention or even care about our lives? What do we do when we doubt whether God is there at all?

Belief is comprised of one or both of the following two things: our knowledge and our experience. The strongest faith is formed when we use knowledge and experience together. When we combine what we know with what we experience, we can navigate through our doubt.

Right in the middle of the Bible, the book of Psalms overflows with the kind of emotion found in knowledge and belief. Many of the Psalms describe events in the life of King David. Psalm 13 doesn't have a specific story attached to it, but I think these words could have been written at almost any time. Check out David's words:

“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?” (Psalm 13:1-2 NIV).

Ever felt that way? For a "man after God's own heart," David sure sounds like he's dealing with some doubts! Thankfully, the Psalm doesn't end there. A few verses later he writes:

“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me” (Psalm 13:5-6 NIV).

What? Is this even the same guy? How did he get from the point of having all of these questions to saying things like "I trust in your unfailing love?" 

This is key: David started with what he felt and ended with what he knew. He was honest with God in his frustration. He did this like a friend who just needed to be honest. Maybe he felt forgotten, but he knew his trust was in God.  

Check out more of the Psalms to see how the writers dealt with their feelings!

Here's how this plays out in our lives:

1. When you doubt, be honest about it. How has God shown up in your past? What is he doing currently in your life? What do you see God doing in the world around you?

Once we are able to see what God has done and is doing through both our experiences and our knowledge, we are better equipped to manage the doubt.

God is bigger than your doubts.