Have you ever doubted your faith? Have you ever dared to question the existence of God? Have you ever felt like you’re in this thing all alone?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions congratulations!,you are in the company of untold millions of other Christians who have doubted,questioned,and felt abandoned along the journey.Who,thanks to Jesus, just happen to be standing stronger today than at any other time.
But for many of us, the doubts and the questions won’t go away.
Think about this: the enemy speaks to us in countless ways through a variety of circumstances all carefully designed to plant the tiniest seed of doubt in our minds. In no time at all it seems we’re asking how or why.
Those two little words,each containing but three letters,have the potential to grow into a raging firestorm that left unchecked,will shipwreck our faith.
It’s during these times that we must draw upon our armor and prepare to defend ourselves against the onslaught of the devil.
The apostle Paul authored the majority of the New Testament,and the following text is,in my opinion,one of the clearest assurances that God is faithful to those who are faithful to Him.
“Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel,
This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”
II Timothy 2:8, 11-13 NKJV
Beloved, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
He has promised us that if we endure,if we hold on,if we faint not away but hold to His promises,we shall reign with Him.
Doubts will always come. Questions will arise in our hearts and minds for which there are no answers. Loneliness will sometimes feel like abandonment.
But I have good news! It’s not over until He says it’s over!
He remains faithful.
Have a blessed week!
A Front Row View of The Church 
This lesson is essential to those committed to Christ across a lifetime. Often, we will not know the answers to your two little questions: how and why.
If we assume that as Christians we will never be confronted by evil, will never experience pain or loss, we are badly mistaken and bound to be disappointed. Those who preach that kind of “faith” are selling a very fragile commodity. I use the word “selling” advisedly, since the prosperity gospel you discussed in your last post is often the context of such assurances.
God asks more of us. He wants to mature our faith. He wants us to hold on, even when we do not feel Him there. A line from the old Anthony Quinn film, “The Shoes of the Fisherman” comes to mind. A newly ordained pope finds himself isolated and lonely for friends. A cardinal reminds him, “This is Calvary, Holiness. And you have just begun to climb.”
God’s blessings can be so generously bestowed we forget that fact. But there is a battle of good v. evil raging. And, consciously or not, we are taking part.
Thank you for playing your part so well, Ron. Your faith is an inspiration to this former unbeliever.
Your sister in Christ,
A.
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I love what you have written Anna,and it resonates deep within me. The only part I would disagree with is that I do not see myself as having played my part well,at all. While I know that I am His child,I often wonder if my failures don’t outweigh any success I’ve had. In fact,I’ve accomplished little of what I used to dream that I would.When I was a young pastor I envisioned myself leading a large church one day that would be a lighthouse to the broken. My life however has taken many twists and turns,none of which brought about the future I had planned. It is hard at times to reconcile ones self to this,yet my study of the word has taught me that God has led me all these years. As I grow older I find myself more content to speak a word of encouragement to someone than I ever have,and less enameled with the business of ministry. Your work is a tremendous source of encouragement to me Anna,and I am grateful to have made your acquaintance on the web. Your personal words of encouragement to me I count as priceless.
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Very well said, Ron. I recall that as a teenager I had many such doubts and I am glad I have persevered, because God has proven Himself to me many, many times over the last 6 decades. I am so grateful He is faithful when I have not been. 🙂 Thanks for this post.
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You are so right Debbie. Looking back we can surely see where the Lord has been right by our side through it all. I’m so glad to be serving Him!
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