Prefer a podcast? Click here to listen to the podcast version of this message.
Transcript:
Hello, welcome to Walking in Step with God. I am Steve McDonald. Today we explore the topic “Overcome Doubt and Disbelief”. How much do you trust in God? Do you have doubts about involving God in areas of your life that are very near and dear to you? Do you find yourself filtering the things that you pray about so that you remain in control of things you think that only you can resolve?
Today, as we continue in our theme of Devotion to God, we are going to discuss how doubt and disbelief can find their way into our faith and 3 ways we can overcome it. Let’s discuss how our humanness can get in the way of our faith and how we can confront our disposition to doubt.
Before we dive in, why don’t we take a quick break? I will be right back.
Welcome back. Let’s continue in our discussion of 3 ways we can overcome doubt and disbelief.
It is very natural to have doubts about something or someone you cannot see or hear in the physical world, yet there are plenty of things all around us that we take for granted that we have no doubts about. What about the air you breathe? What about gravity? These are examples of things you cannot see or hear, yet you do not doubt that they exist. So why do we have doubts about God? By and large, the ways of the world are not the ways of God, so growing up in the world leads most of us on a path far from God. Trusting in God most certainly requires an intentional turning from the ways of the world and pursuing God.
Let’s dive into 3 ways to challenge and overcome our doubts and disbelief about God Welcome back. Let’s continue in our discussion of 3 ways we can overcome doubt and disbelief. It is very natural to have doubts about something or someone you cannot see or hear in the physical world, yet there are plenty of things all around us that we take for granted that we have no doubts about. What about the air you breathe? What about gravity? These are examples of things you cannot see or hear, yet you do not doubt that they exist. So why do we have doubts about God? By and large, the ways of the world are not the ways of God, so growing up in the world leads most of us on a path far from God. Trusting in God most certainly requires an intentional turning from the ways of the world and pursuing God.
Let’s dive into 3 ways to challenge and overcome our doubts and disbelief about God
#1 Embrace reason and logic that God exists
This first option is probably among the most controversial among believers and non-believers. I share this mainly because reason and logic are at the very core of my own belief system. When I was younger, when I asked elders why I should believe in God they would say ‘Because I said so.’ Well, as I grew older, of course, this was not a valid reason. I also happen to be an engineer, so I have a disposition to use logic and reason in many areas of my life.
I am going to summarize my belief system with the idea that every creation must have a creator. My personal belief is that the universe and all that is within it seem to follow patterns of design that could only come from a creator. There are many respected theologians, even Christian theologians who defend the existence of God with comprehensive and meticulous detail including Thomas Aquinas and Augustine of Hippo. I think a fundamental step in conquering doubt is to investigate and research your questions and concerns about God and consider the evidence, reasoning, and logic of God’s existence.
#2 Read God’s Word
Once we have agreement on the existence of God, we can then pursue wisdom and knowledge from and about God.
God’s Word is an instructional guide from God. It explains how we should live our lives and how God intended us to walk in the world. God’s Word includes everything from God’s direct instructions and guidance, to examples of how others have trusted and depended on God and the results of their faith. We even see examples of those who did not trust God and the outcomes of their lack of faith.
Wherever you are in your walk, I encourage you to use God’s Word as the source of truth for you to learn about God; His promises, His character, and His love. Use God’s Word as your complete and comprehensive guide to learn why you can trust in Him and how to give your life and your circumstances to Him. Let God’s Word be the source of knowledge to lead, guide, and order your steps in your walk through life and your walk with Him. Stay tuned for our Going Deeper With the Word segment where I share some examples of God’s Word.
#3 Embrace life’s ups and downs
Once we have established our belief in God and reviewed instruction from God’s Word, I believe we can then consider how God manifests in our lives day to day. Everyone on the planet has ups and downs in their life. Everyone on earth has experienced some form of suffering. Many have experienced more suffering and life challenges than others. God’s Word does not say we will never have challenges or difficulties. What it does say is to trust in God despite what our circumstances may be.
If your doubts and disbelief stem from the fact that you are experiencing hardship, read God’s Word to know and understand how to navigate these times. Know that God is with you and has not forgotten you. Remember, you can and should ask God to help you with your doubts, to show you what needs to be changed in your life, and how you can follow His will and instructions.
The sooner you invite God into your life and your world with sincerity and intention, the more you will witness His guidance in your life. As you make the decision to seek out and trust God’s will for you, your doubts and disbelief will subside because you see the evidence of His working in your life.
Wrap Up
Today we explored 3 ways to overcome doubt and disbelief. We discussed the fact that there is an abundance of evidence for God and many trusted minds have laid out the reasoning and logic behind the existence of God, especially as a master Creator of all things. If you are someone who believes strongly in reason and logic, I invite you to research and review both the subjective and objective evidence for God. Use this research to help inform your decisions and reasoning about your beliefs.
We discussed the importance of using God’s Word as a book of instructions and guidance as to how to live our lives and trust in God. We explored the idea that using God’s Word as the source of truth gives us the tools, resources, and instructions on how to navigate life and explore a relationship with God.
We also discussed that everyone on earth has ups and downs in life. We established that difficulties or challenges in life, even suffering do not negate the existence of God in our lives. We must learn to lean on Him instead of our understanding and seek His will over our own. The sooner we do so, the sooner we live a life where we can trust in God and dismiss our doubts, even as we navigate difficult circumstances. The more we trust in God, the sooner we can live a life with the security of knowing that God is with us through challenging times as well as times of excitement and joy.
Are you interested in discovering more about the guidance offered in this message? Learn more in the companion article Going Deeper with the Word: Overcome Doubt and Disbelief
