DOUBT

DOUBT
A bad word in my book. I've been thinking again. (Oh boy, you say) Jeff was out of town on business for 2 nights earlier this week and rather than sleep, my brain goes haywire thinking about things. I have trouble going to sleep, but once I do, it's all OK til Brandon gets his foot hung in the crib and I have to rescue him! Anyway, on with my actual blog thought that I'm finally getting time to write since I've been thinking......

My little pocket dictionary defines DOUBT:

as a verb:
1 to be uncertain about
2 to lack confidence in: DISTRUST
3 to consider unlikely

as a noun:
1 uncertainty of belief or opinion
2 a condition causing uncertainty, hesitation, or suspense
3 DISTRUST
4 an inclination not to believe or accept

I know that I have doubted lots of things in my life. But I realized this week that when I let doubt creep in, it seems to open the door for negative thinking and in my line of thinking that's letting Satan take control of my thoughts. Not a situation that I like!

I do NOT doubt that my God cares for me always in every situation that I'm in. That's a wonderful feeling to know that the most powerful thing we have is available to us 24/7. All we have to do is pray and lean upon Him. No matter where we are, He is there. The line is NEVER busy. He listens and He answers. We may not get the answers we want, but He always gives us what we need. He knows what is best--we can never, ever doubt that.

We all know the story of doubting Thomas. Thomas was one of Jesus's apostles and he doubted that Jesus was resurrected! We are all capable of saying that we wouldn't have done that in his situation, but yet we doubt things we shouldn't quite often, sometimes more than once a day. I know I have moments.

The last year of my life has taught me to doubt less and less and to focus on Jesus. He is my King! I have tuned in to my faith more than ever and I know it is strong, but it can be stronger. Satan still sits on my shoulder (you know the little devil like in the old cartoons and the angel (Jesus) on the other). Satan doesn't like me now because of what I've learned, experienced and applied. I now know the true power my God has and I am privileged to call upon Him in my time of need. God can win every battle because is all-powerful (remember, Satan is a fallen angel and God created the angels!). I may not win every battle, but I know that God is with me and I have more strength to continue fighting because of that.

So, let's turn to two stories that I draw strength from.

The first, I wrote about last year and is found in Mark 5:21-43. The main story in this text is Jairus' daughter was very ill and died. Jarius believed that Jesus would help him and He raised the little girl saying she was only sleeping. In the midst of this, there was a woman who had been sick with a "flow of blood" for twelve years. She had spent all she had to get better, but was worse. She heard about Jesus and came behind him and touched his garment believing she could be healed. She was immediately healed and Jesus told her that her faith had made her well. She had no doubt that He could heal her.

The second story is also in this book and is found in Mark 10:46-52. There was a blind man who sat begging. He heard that Jesus was near and begain calling to Him to have mercy on him. Jesus asked that he come to Him and the man dropped his cloak and went to Him. Jesus asked, "What do you want Me to do for you?" and the blind man answered that he wanted to receive his sight. Jesus also told this man his faith had made him well. No doubt here either.

Both of these people only knew of Jesus until the time he passed by and they were able to touch him. How marvelous that would be! But even though they had not yet met him, they had no doubt that he would heal them if they could just touch him. We also have the same power available although we can not physically touch Jesus. We know that he cares for each of us. We just have to let go of our pride and let Him take over and help us. It's not up to us -- everything is God's will.

Roman 8:31 (NKJV)
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"