By: Amanda Burke | September 20, 2021
Doubt. We have all experienced it at some point in our Christian walk. In recent years, my faith has been tested, and doubt has become the dirty, shameful thought that has poked its head out of the corner of my mind. No matter how hard I try to seem put together, my mind struggles with doubt which often plagues me. I doubt my abilities as a wife and mother. I doubt my abilities to counsel or do my job. I doubt that our family’s newest business venture was a good idea. I doubt about the relationships with the people in my life. I doubt about the ministry work that I am doing. And dare I utter the words; I even doubt God. Every single day, I doubt. I find no rest in doubting, in fact it only increases my anxiety. The anxiety will sometimes manifest as a medical crisis, as things surmount and become more challenging.
When I experience a painful situation or have had my mind clouded with doubt, it wasn’t until I was on the other side of things that I began to understand and see what God was doing. God never left me; He was right there all along. Being a Christian doesn’t make us impervious to doubting. It doesn’t make us less Christian or unsaved. Most of the time, we wrestle with our deepest questions about God privately, fail to speak up, and ask someone to help us in our doubtful moments that could lead us to a point of despair.
We see an example of this in Scripture. Matthew 14:22-33 is the story of Jesus walking on water. When Jesus asked Peter to join Him, he left the boat and began walking towards Jesus. But when Peter saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid and began to sink. In Matthew 14:31, it says, “Immediately Jesus reached out His hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Jesus didn’t punish Peter for doubting, He rescued him, and He rescues us too. All we have to do is place our faith in Him.
I have found three key things to do when I have struggled with doubt.
1. First, I share my thoughts with my husband.
God gave me a wonderful spouse. He was given to me as a helpmate. Often, we may fail to reveal to our spouses how we are feeling or share our concerns and thoughts with them. If the marriage is a God centered marriage, going to a spouse should be the first point. If I am struggling with anxiety over a biblical issue, he and I will sit down and talk about it and search for the answers together. If it is an issue that is beyond our understanding or something that we may not find ourselves in agreement on, we will then go to our pastor.
2. Next, I become more intentional with reading scripture and lean in on God’s word.
Personally, when I struggle with feelings of doubt it’s the result of a perfect storm. I am going to be very honest, when I’ve reached this point, it is because of two things. 1) I have gotten lazy with reading my Bible, and 2) something happened to me personally that has caused emotional distress.
To ease the feelings of doubt I personally must stay in God’s word daily, I know for some it’s easier said than done, but when you’re in Christ, you will desire to study God’s word. I’ve found
that if I make a point to wake up early before my family and read my devotions, it sets the tone for the rest of the day. Homeschooling my kids comes with its fair share of challenges. We often do a devotion at lunch time, which sets the tone for the kids as well. In addition to setting aside devotion time, we listen to the Bible on audio in the car when we’re out running errands as a family.
3. Finally, I pray intentionally about the “feeling” of doubt.
I have learned that my feelings are just that. Feelings. The fact is, Jesus is right there with me. I am not alone. But when I find myself in the middle of a doubting crisis, it’s because I’ve been too private about my own sin, or I feel ashamed to share my personal struggles.
Most specifically, I ask for prayer around the feelings of doubt that I experience. When I began to pray without ceasing, I immediately feel the Lord’s presence. I’ve found the importance of opening up to others about my struggles and sin issues so that they may help to intercede on my behalf, even when I am waning. I firmly believe in the power of prayer; in fact, many medical studies have shown that prayer does have many health benefits.
If you find yourself struggling with doubt, please know that in Christ all things are possible, we are praying for all those who seek the kingdom of God and for those who are lost. Please send us an email to let us know how we can be praying for you. We firmly believe in building a Christian community and would love to talk to you more if you’re wanting to learn more about the Christian faith or apologetics. To contact Amanda or a member of Bellator Christi, fill out the form found at https://bellatorchristi.com/contact-us/. Also, consider leaving a comment at the bottom of this post.
About the Author
Amanda is a dedicated wife & homeschool mom. She has worked in the finance industry in North Carolina for more than 15 years. She is a graduate of Campbell University’s Trust and Wealth Management Program, an Accredited Financial Counselor® (AFC®) and is also pursuing the CFP® (Certified Financial Planner) designation in 2021. To see more from Amanda, check out her website at https://thefinancialapologist.com/.
Digging Deeper
(Article) Brian Chilton, “Emotional Doubt and How to Combat It,” (10/1/18): https://bellatorchristi.com/2018/10/01/emotional-doubt-and-how-to-combat-it/.
(Artice) Brian Chilton and Curtis Evelo, “Good Prophet, Bad Prophet, and the Knowledge of God in 1 Kings 13,” (8/24/21): https://bellatorchristi.com/2021/08/24/good-prophet-bad-prophet-knowledge-of-god-1-kings-13/.
(Article) Brian G. Chilton, “The Benefits of Active Listening and Moral Apologetics to the Chaplaincy Ministry,” (5/3/21): https://bellatorchristi.com/2021/05/03/the-benefits-of-active-listening-and-moral-apologetics-to-the-chaplaincy-ministry/
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