Doubt Your Faith Much?

 O)f course not! Nor me. I walk with God all day, read Hus Word, talk to Him, trust Him for my daily needs. Doubt? Who, me?

However, in the gloom of oncoming night, just a smidgeon perhaps. In throes of a nightmare, a category 5 hurricane of troubles piled so high I can't see daylight, much less "feel" God's presence, His protection, His love?  Truth? I quake in fear of being alone in the cold, dark universe.  What if...?

Not nearly as often as I once did; it now presents very occasionally and briefly, because through the years I have seen His hand bringing me through many crises, building my trust and security and confidence, consciously reminding me daily of His Presence, His Power, and unfailing Promises kept as He successfully brought me through, building my faith-muscles and confidence in His constant presence as He steers me through this battle-scarred mess His flawed creatures have  created of His world and our lives.

Doubts used to freeze my brain, making it difficult to pray, until one day I rebelled against these thoughts that held me at a standstill -- my mind was flooded with strong words that always quiet any doubts trying to cripple me: DON'T DOUBT YOUR FAITH; DOUBT YOUR DOUBTS!

Once I heard a story of a child who was asked "What do you do when Satan knocks on your heart's door?" She smiled and said, "I let Jesus open the door."  Same thing I had learned.

 Memorize a few scriptures that can wipe out any doubt trying to move in. Wake up each day taking inventory over all the ways God has guided you through detours, crossroads to negotiate on your way Home to Heaven. At first perhaps you can't see over the huge problem filling your view of the world. Brain freeze. Start with basic truths of God's presence: life--you are here after all and could be in lots worse places. 

You have air to breathe, probably food and shelter, perhaps family or friends, the Bible, which shows myriads of examples of God's provision overcoming chaos and loss. Be still and think back through your own life about all the terrible auto accidents that never happened, the narrow escapes you have experienced as you learned to follow Him more closely, His guiding hand teaching you to remember pitfalls so as not to repeat them--God is faithful. loving, patient as we gradually lean on His superior understanding of what will be best for us, in spite of our efforts to do life on our own terms. 

God is.  and you are His. That's all there is. 

          To God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion                                                                      and power, both now and forever. Amen.  (Jude 1:25)