Defeating doubt and uncertainty with God

What do the following people have in common.
The “Rock”
Clearwater Florida
Wayne Schmuck
Having trouble with that last name? The answer is that they all lived up to their name. Wayne was a car dealer who was found to have rolled back the odometer of multiple cars before selling them for more than they were worth. Of course, the rock is as strong as a rock and Clearwater has, or at least had, clear water.
There are others who lived up to their name. Consider the following:
Thomas Crapper, who popularized indoor plumbing.
Bob Flowerdam, who was an organic gardener.
Rosalind Brewer who had two jobs. She was COO at Starbucks and Molson Coors Brewing Company. Could there be two more appropriate jobs.
Sara Blizzard, who was a weather person with BBC.
All of these lived up to the names they had. Let’s consider another, “Doubting Thomas.” Even those who do not know Biblical history have heard the name, but did he really live up to it? Did he deserve that moniker?
The circumstance for which he was most known did display a moment of doubt. Jesus had risen from the dead and appeared to the ten disciples. He was not there. Wouldn’t we all like to know where he was. He must have regretted that for the rest of his life. Perhaps he had run out to Quik Trip for a soda. Oh, no, that would have been me. If only we had one in Perryville.
His words echo through time. I will not believe unless I see the scars on His hands and his side. Of course, Jesus returned the next Sunday and gave him the opportunity to do just that. He did not need to reach out. He dropped to his knees confessing Jesus as Lord and God.
Is his experience really that unusual? Someone said, “Even the most doubtful of doubters will sometimes doubt their doubts.” Doubts come to all. It is utterly in the realm of human existence to move from the mountaintop of certainty to the depths of despair.
John, known as the Baptist, demonstrated how doubt can come quickly. He was boldly willing to confess Jesus, pointing his followers to the Savior, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”
Were he to stay right there, if his faith remained that strong, he would not be in this sermon. But he, too, wavered. In Luke 7 he sends a messenger to Jesus, “Are you the Messiah, or should I look for another.” What? John? How could you ask that. From “Behold the Lamb” to “Are you the one?”
That is the reality of doubts. We have them. We struggle. They are real! Doubts flood over us like the tide washing on the shore. The real question is not, “do doubts come into the lives of Jesus’ disciples today?” But “How do we grow in the face of such doubts.
Three Guidelines for Handling Seasons of Doubt
First, offer the Biblical prayer found in Mark 9:24.
A little background will help. Just after the high of Jesus’ experience on the Mount of Transfiguration Jesus descended the mountain to hear the din and commotion of a crowd.
Approaching the scene Jesus finds a demon possessed boy and a desperate dad. The disciples (not including Peter, James and John who had gone up the mountain with Jesus) had tried to drive the demon out of the boy. They failed in their efforts and the situation got worse.

When Jesus approached, the desperate father says, “If you can do anything take pity on us and help us.” IF you can do anything?
Far from chastising him Jesus said, “If you can…everything is possible for one who believes.” Both Father and Son are quick to point out that people should have faith (Elijah, Thomas, and now this father) but just as quickly moves on to the reassurance needed to exercise faith. J
The father prays our prayer. The prayer is the one offered by every one of us who have had our seasons of doubt.
Mark 9:24 24 “Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
Whatever your doubt right now says this prayer. Financial difficulties...say it. Health concerns…pray it. Relationships in tatters…cry out this prayer.
The second guideline for confronting doubt is to have definitions. It is as important to say what doubt is not as it is to define faith. Please pay close attention to this section.
Doubt is NOT a refusal to belief. When we doubt it is not our way of saying that we refuse to believe. It is a confession that we are struggling. God does not condemn you for having that moment!
Doubt is also NOT a sin to be forgiven. Doubt can become sinful if we stay in it. But a season of doubt, while not in line with a life of faith is not a sin.
To confront doubt it is also important to be clear of the definition of faith. Faith is the opposite of doubt. Fortunately, we are not left to our own wisdom to determine that definition. The author of our book of Hebrews provides as good a definition as exists:
Hebrews 11:1-2“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.”
He said that faith is being sure of what we hope for. It is a confidence in the person and promise of God. It is a belief that God will provide exactly what we need. We expect him to come through.
Our faith bring substance to unseen realities. If we can see the result, we are not walking in faith. Our lives demonstrate an awareness of an existence of reality which cannot be grasped through our senses.
Finally, our faith brings divine commendation. God responds to our seasons of faith with a “well done.” We please God when we confront our doubt and step out in faith.
Finally, we confront doubt by acting in faith. James famously challenges us to action:
James 2:26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Any faith that does not lead to obedience is dead, being alone. Our faith must be alive and active. The word faith is just that, an active word of firm persuasion.
Abraham believed God and moved.
Joshua believed God and led the people in a march around Jericho.
Gideon reduced his army from 32,000 to 300 at God’s command.
Abraham and Sarah trusted God for a baby at an incredibly advanced age.
It is a simple math equation: Obedience = faith = Obedience