5 BIBLICAL ADVICES TO OVERCOME YOUR DOUBTS

 By Jason Jimenez, Contributor Wednesday, January 10, 2024, / Unsplash/Emily Mortimer

Have You Ever Felt Confused Or Unsure About Your Christian Faith?

No matter how long you have put your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior, doubt will come into your life when you least expect it.

It is very important to remember that Christians, like any other people, may have difficult times. In fact, many people believe that during their Christian journey, they often wonder about their faith. These doubts may stem from difficult thoughts or personal experiences, and they can be unsettling and sometimes lead to a loss of confidence.

Doubt usually begins with a small question or doubt about God's goodness or his plan for your life. There may be a challenging situation that makes people question God's faithfulness, or a prayer goes unanswered. With time, these past thoughts can become stronger and destroy your strong trust in God. However, by facing these moments of doubt and seeking understanding, you can strengthen your faith and come to a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Christian.

"Faith without doubt is like a human body without antibodies in it," said the late Dr. Tim Keller, author of "The Reason for God: Believe in the Age of Skepticism." "People who happily lead overly busy lives or don't care to ask difficult questions about why they believe they are doing what they are doing will find themselves helpless to deal with tragic experiences or intelligent questions from skeptics. If a person has failed to listen patiently to his own doubts over the years, which should have been discarded after long reflection, his confidence can collapse almost overnight.”

It is very important for Christians to realize that doubt is an opportunity to increase their faith in God and not a sin. However, if doubts are ignored, they can soon bother you and take away the trust you once had in the Bible and God.

These five biblical suggestions can help you overcome your doubts and still thrive in Christ.

Grow your knowledge: if you are still struggling to find clarity in your faith, it is very important to spend time studying the historical context of the Bible and its teachings. To help you navigate any issue, participate in theological discussions, read the Bible, and seek guidance from trusted people.

Engage with apologetics: Apologetics offers intellectual support for Christian beliefs by answering questions such as the existence of God, belief in Scripture, and historical evidence of the life and resurrection of Jesus, among others. I advise you to read the following books on apologetics: confronting Christianity (McLaughlin), I don't have enough faith to be an atheist (Geisler and Turek), standing firm in your faith (Jimenez and McFarland), wandering toward God (Dickinson), On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision (Craig), and I don't have enough faith to be an atheist (Jimenez and McFarland).

Connect with Bible groups: I cannot state how important it is to surround yourself with Christians who share your views and seek to challenge, encourage, and strengthen one another in the Christian faith. In my life, there were times when I needed to rely on some mature Christians and talk to them in an open and honest way to overcome my various doubts.

Meditate on God's goodness. Take a moment to reflect on your relationship with God personally. Remember the times when your prayers were answered and you had a deep spiritual connection with your Creator? These times can strengthen your faith and remind you of God's goodness and faithfulness. Stay firm: remember that faith is a continual journey, as mentioned in Psalm 145:5-7. "At the majesty of your glorious Majesty and at your wonderful works, I will meditate. They will speak of the power of your wonderful works, and I will declare your greatness. They will pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness, and they will sing aloud because doubt is part of life in this world. Your faith has the opportunity to grow and mature through this challenge. "For this reason, seek to complete your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with fortitude, and fortitude with piety, and piety with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love," says the Apostle Peter to explain just that. For if these qualities become yours and continue to develop, they prevent you from being effective or fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In our journey of faith, difficulties and doubts are a normal and inevitable part of spiritual growth and development. It is very important to remember that the search for truth and understanding is ultimately a satisfying and enriching endeavor, even if it comes with challenges. These obstacles only make our faith and determination stronger. Therefore, it is important to remain firm, seek wisdom and understanding, and be confident that your efforts will bring invaluable results.

The president of STAND STRONG Ministries, a member of Summit Ministries faculty, and author of Challenging Conversations: A Practical Guide to Discussing Controversial Topics in the Church is Jason Jimenez. For additional information, visit www.standstrongministries.org.

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