The Plague of Doubt

". . .the angel said to him: 'Do not be afraid, Zechariah; 

your prayer has been heard.

Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,

and you are to give him the name John. . .'

Zechariah asked the angel, 'How can I be sure of this?

I am an old man and my wife is well along in years?'

The angel answered, 'I am Gabriel.

I stand in the presence of God, 

and I have been sent to speak to you

and to tell you this good news.

And now you will be silent and not able to speak

until the day this happens,

because you did not believe my words, 

which will come true at their proper time.'"

Luke 1:13, 18-20

I remember when my oldest daughter was 4-years old.  She was always a chatterbox, but when she came into the age of inquisition, she became an interrogator worthy of the CIA or FBI.

"Come on, honey, it's time for me to give you and your sisters a bath."

"Why?"

"Because you're dirty and it's almost time for bed.  It's nice to go to bed clean."

"Why?"

"So you won't get the sheets dirty."

"Why?"

"Because then I'll need to wash the linens and I'd rather not make so much work for myself."

"Why?"

"Because I already have enough to do, now come on and gather up your sister's pajamas and let's head into the bathroom."

"Why, Mommy?"

"Because I said so!"

Preschoolers are naturally curious, constantly seeking to learn about the world around them.  I, too, tend to want to know why things are a certain way or what makes someone do what they do. There's nothing wrong with a healthy interest in what makes things tick.  Take Mary, for instance.  When the same angel that visited Zechariah showed up in her presence, Gabriel gave her some astounding news: you are going to have a baby named Jesus who will grow up to be some kind of ruler over a never-ending kingdom and will even be called the Son of the Most High. (Luke 1:26-38)

Mary accepted this shocking news but showed a simple curiosity in how it would all come about since she wasn't married.  How would she become pregnant; how was God going to bring this about?  There was no question as to whether this event would happen, just an interest in how it would occur.

Zechariah, on the other hand, questioned the accuracy of this message and God's ability to bring it to pass.  To make his point, he called attention to the old age of he and his wife.  

Curiosity is not discouraged by God; only doubt.  I am reminded in Hebrews 11:6, that without faith, or the ability to believe something will happen, it is impossible to please God.  

But I am prone to doubt, just like Zechariah.  His experience reminds me that there are consequences for my doubt.  Thankfully, my doubt will not stop the will of God.  Just as God's promise still came to pass in the form of a baby named John, God's purpose will always go forth. (Isaiah 14:26-27)  The only question is: Will I be a part of it, or will I be watching from the sidelines, mute and paralyzed by fear and disbelief?

God's Sovereignty

My husband and I owned a tandem bike for a period of time.  It was difficult for me to ride in back while he controlled the handlebars and brakes.  Donald decided in which direction to go and when it was time to stop.  If we rode down a hill, only he could slow it down.  In a nutshell, my husband had all the control and I had none.

This is kind of how it is with me and God.  He decides the direction my life will take, how fast I need to go, when it's time for a bumpy ride and when I need to stop for a rest.  This is His world and He's in control.

The problem is, I possess this desire to know my own future.  I want to know the details of what's coming up ahead.  When I give into this desire, I attempt to figure out what is happening and what I think will be the expected outcome.  I analyze all the possible angles, coming up with solutions for each scenario.  I spend a lot of time thinking about the issues at hand.  Much to my dismay, the reality is that this is the definition of "worry."

When I doubt God's ability to lead me well and hesitate to give Him control, I fall into an anxious heap.  Jesus said not to go after our needs or to try to orchestrate the details of my life because God knows what I need.  Instead, He said to, "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things (all my needs) will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow  will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own."  (Matthew 6:32-34)

Worry and anxiety is a sign that I'm not trusting God's sovereignty and His ability to lead me well.  

If I want to avoid the plague of doubt when it comes to God's control over my life, I must learn to trust Him enough to place everything in His capable hands.  (Philippians 4:4-7)

God's Calling

God asked the impossible from a man who doubted.  He wondered how God could possibly use a reject like him to deliver such an important message to His people.  What if they didn't listen?  What if they didn't believe him?  What if he couldn't get the words out?  Who am I to do something so big?

The question is not, as Rafiki of the Lion King asked Simba, "who are you?"  Rather, the inquiry I should constantly make is, "who is God?"  You see, God's calling on my life has nothing to do with me.  It isn't dependent upon my abilities, gifts or desires.  Instead, it is about God and His ability.

When Moses asked God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"  God's reply was, "I will be with you."  (Exodus 3:11-12)

In the same way, when God places a burden on my heart for the hurting and downtrodden in my own neighborhood, but I'm afraid I won't be able to do the job, I can remember that God is with me.

Or when God convicts me to teach a Bible study despite my lack of degree in Bible teaching, I can take heart that God is with me.

Or when God inclines my heart toward the people of a third-world country even though I've always hated to travel, I will gain courage from the fact that God is with me.  It's not up to me.

The anecdote to doubt in the face of God's calling is to remember that God is with me and He will accomplish what He set out to do.

God's Plan

Clouds are looming on the horizon.  My way seems dark with no way out.  Voices laugh tauntingly as I continue down the path that seems destined for doom.  Should I continue on the way my Master pointed?  I wonder as my foot falls in a pothole.  Is this the way He meant for me?  It seems wrong; filled with pain and suffering.  How can this be right?

Which way is God leading that seems risky or perhaps not something I would choose for myself?  When I read that the Lord said, "For I know the plans I have for you. . .plans to proper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future," it's easy for me to form a picture in my mind of what those plans may look like.  I see comfort, pleasure and fulfillment.  

Then reality sets in as the test from the doctor comes back positive, the daughter goes missing or the loved one moves on to someone else.  How can anything good come out of this?  

Just as God allowed hard things to enter Job's life in order to test his faith, sometimes God allows trials and difficulties in the same way.  Other times, God's plan includes working with people I don't like, doing I job I don't particularly enjoy, or sticking with a marriage that brings unhappiness.  

Living a life of faith devoid of doubt means I'll have to do as Solomon instructed in Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT.  "Trust in the LORD with all you heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."  

In order to stop doubting, I must trust God's plan as good, even when it seems bad.

Asking questions of God is not forbidden, but doubting whether He is really in control of all things, is calling me to do something big or even small, or has a plan for my life comes at a price.  To fight the plague of doubt, I'll have to place my life in His hands, remember that He equips the called, and that His plan is good no matter how it looks to me.  Then I will avoid the consequences that come with disbelief and be able to say as Mary did, "I am the Lord's servant.  . .May it be to me as you have said."  (Luke 1:38)

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God with my whole heart and let go of the fear that holds me back.

When do I let my own insecurities hold me back from answering God's calling?

How do I judge a hard thing as not from God?

  

Green Leaves

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,

whose confidence is in him.

He will be like a tree planted by the water 

that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

and never fails to bear fruit."

Jeremiah 17:7-8

I remember travelling across this great country of mine and being amazed at the varying variety of landscapes.  Majestic mountains gave way to prairies filled with waving wheat that surrendered to breathtaking canyons and rock formations.  There is no doubt that this land is filled with differing scenery.

One of the most curious sights, however, was found while driving through an arid region seemingly devoid of life.  Miles upon miles of travel revealed nothing more than dry, dusty terrain.  Suddenly, I spotted a crowd of cattle crammed into the shade of a single luscious tree.  Upon closer inspection, I discovered this lone tree was growing on the banks of a small stream.  Where no other plants seemed to have survived, the placement of this tree beside a life-giving source of water had assured it's survival.

I can be like that tree.  Even in the darkest of times, when nothing seems to be going right I can stand tall and serene, confident that my God will supply all my needs.

God is Trustworthy

I know no man who is worthy of my confidence 100% of the time.   I can place my trust in others, but at some point, they will let me down.  I, in turn, can do my best to diligently strive for excellence in the area of dependability and responsibility but I, too, will fail at some point.  We all are hopelessly flawed.

God, however does not have this problem.   David wrote in Psalm 18:30, "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless.  He is a shield for all who take refuge in him."  God will never let me down.  It goes against His character to collapse under the weight of my trust. 

Another reason I cannot trust another human to fulfill all my needs is because there is a lack of understanding.  God knows me better than I know my self.  No human can know another as intimately as God knows me.  This concept is beautifully recounted in Psalm 139:2-5.  David said, "You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.  You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.  You know everything I do.  You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.  You go before me and follow me." (NLT)

As 20th Century writer Eugenia Price wrote, "With God our trust can be abandoned, utterly free.  In Him are no limitations, no flaws, no weaknesses.  His judgment is perfect, His knowledge of us is perfect, His love is perfect.  God alone is trustworthy."

Trusting God means I will never have to worry about whether He will let me down or misunderstand me.  

God Ordains my Position

I remember when we first moved to Germany under orders of the U.S. Army.  My husband had served several years by that time and was due for an overseas tour.  Our family of 6 arrived exhausted from a ten-hour flight and were immediately loaded onto a bus where we were driven to the local Army Kaserne or Post.

I was dismayed to see the vastness of the city, discouraged by the smell of pollution in the air and turned-off by the mass of humanity swarming everywhere.  How could I, a country girl, live in this large metropolis?

Well, God had placed me there in Frankfurt for a reason, and I soon grew to love the many parks, the amazing transportation system and the friendly people.  This country girl learned to live in the city.

God placed me exactly where He wanted me and it was up to me as to whether I would fight against His choice, or accept it.  

As St Francis de Sales, the 16th Century Bishop of Geneva said, "Truly charity has no limit; for the love of God has been poured into our hearts by His Spirit dwelling in each one of us, calling us to a life of devotion and inviting us to bloom in the garden where He was planted and directing us to radiate the beauty and spread the fragrance of His providence."

Trusting God means I will choose to bloom where I am planted.

God Transcends

One of the things I love about flying in an airplane is looking out the window at the landscape below. It gives me a different perspective as I watch the tiny cars driving along teeny ribbons of highway through miniature neighborhoods filled with thousands of microscopic people.  I enjoy observing others' lives from such an elevated position, wondering where everyone is going, what they are thinking, and what struggles with which they are wrestling.  

In an even greater way, God can see all that is happening and knows how it will all play out.  He knows the struggles with which I am wrestling.  He allowed the difficulties with which I now battle.  He ordained the position in which I now find myself.

God transcends all things; all circumstances, all trouble, all hopeless situations. This is why the angel Gabriel could say to Mary as recorded in Luke 1:37 that, ". . .nothing is impossible with God."

The transcendent nature of God is hard for my ordinary mind to comprehend.  This is because, as God said through the prophet Isaiah, "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts. . .And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.  For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."  (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT)

Since God is above all things and therefore not affected by the turmoil that is going on in this world, I can trust Him with it all.  He has a perspective that gives Him the advantage, and his position above all things means He won't be swayed, changed or influenced by circumstances.  He is above it all.

Trusting God is possible because He is above all things and will not change.

I can be like that tree planted beside the live-giving streams of water.  I can enjoy healthy green leaves and luscious fruit no matter the circumstances.  But the only way this will happen is if I trust in God.  I can because He is trustworthy, He is sovereign, and he is above all things.  

God makes it possible for me to trust Him.  All it takes is a little faith.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will learn to trust God no matter the situation.  

How do I fail to bloom where God has planted me?

In what areas can I better trust God as I remember He is above all things?

Believe

"For nothing is impossible with God.”

 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. 

“May it be to me as you have said.” 

Then the angel left her.

Luke 1:37-38

"Oh, Christmas isn't just a day, it's a frame of mind."

"Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to."

"He who has no Christmas in his heart will find no Christmas under the tree."

"People have to believe in something."

"I need to believe something extraordinary is possible."

"Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone."

If you've watched any Christmas movies lately, you might recognize some of these quotes, or the sentiments behind them.  I tend to get mushy at Christmas time and overflow with warm and fuzzy thoughts.  But do I really know what these thoughts mean, or do I just repeat them because they sound good?  

Christmas is a day set aside for me to remember the birth of our Savior; Jesus Christ.  Since He is the author and perfecter of my faith, is it possible to have faith without Him?  And, is it possible to have faith in general, or does it need to be directed toward something or someone?

The Source  Faith, as defined in Hebrews 11:1, "is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  As outlined in the "hall of fame of faith" found in Hebrews 11, faith is vital to anyone serious about following Jesus.  In fact, verse 6 explains the importance of faith in our walk. ". . . without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."  I have no hope of pleasing God without having supreme confidence in Him and His ability to keep His promises and provide for my every need.  Even this certainty, however, is not from myself, but is a gift of grace from God himself.  "By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence." (I Peter 1:3)  If I want to have faith, I must get to know the One who is the source of faith. 

The Focus Faith is nothing in and of itself.  Or as Oswald Chambers so wisely phrased it: "Faith that is sure of itself is not faith; faith that is sure of God is the only faith there is."  It sounds good to say, "you just have to believe that everything will be okay," but it rings hollow in the face of the truth.  "Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory." (1 Peter 1:21 NLT)  God will never let me down; I can trust in Him completely.  I cannot just believe, but I must believe in God.  My faith must be directed toward God, or it is an empty shell.  If I want my faith to be true, I must direct it toward Him.

When the angel Gabriel visited Mary to inform her of God's plan, she believed the angel's words when he said that nothing is impossible with God, and she accepted His impossible plan for her life.  Her faith was from God and  in God.  As a result, we celebrate Christmas today!  May the faith God has given me make this Christmas a most precious one as I trust in Him as my Savior!

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will have faith in God and God alone.

Where do I believe what I hear without testing it against the truth found in scripture?

How can I live my life in a way that demonstrates the faith I have in Jesus?