BEAUTY TIP #25 – Diminish Doubt
Posted: October 15, 2010
We live in a daily tension filled reality. Do we believe we have been created for something magnificent and that God has a glorious purpose for our lives, or the reality of seeing our pitiful, fatigued selves in the mirror and feeling the pain of our unsatisfying and sometimes painful circumstances?
When we fully believe that we have been called to a specific task, purpose or calling-that we have used our best five strengths and boldly unleashed the gifts God has given us and then all doors are slammed shut. Someone must have been lying. Instead of answered prayers, reconciliation, plans moving forward and open doors, the future says: NO VACANCY, DO NOT DISTURB, CLOSED FOR THE SEASON, OUT OF BUSINESS, NO TRESPASSING.
Right now I am dodging the bullets of doubt and hanging on by my fingernails to the reality of my abundant life and God inspired purpose. It’s hard when I pray about everything, believing that I am in the sweet spot of God’s will and yet my whole world turns upside down:
- Praying faithfully and fervently for a family member’s marriage to be reconciled. Instead divorce is on the way.
- For over a year I prepared for speaking engagements in Europe. Airfare booked and paid for, suitcases almost packed, speaking notes meticulously organized and gifts bought and wrapped. This all had to be cancelled.
- Writing and submitting articles that I thought were some of my best written efforts. Everyone else that read them agreed. When I looked at the list of submissions that were accepted, I kept looking for my title. I could hardly believe my eyes-it was nowhere on the list. Rejected once again.
Am I not using all my God given gifts, passions and purpose? Is it all a big lie?
Today I made a choice; I refuse to succumb to the swirling, negative and destructive voices of doubt trying to dominate my soul. To start the transformation of my mind, I made a point of walking through God’s magnificent creation, His vineyards to gaze upon His beauty so that I can begin to diminish the fierce grip of doubt. I have to choose believe that God has not abandoned me, overlooked me or has slammed the door on my life. I have to ask myself this question, “What is dominating my life right now-my present feelings or faith?” To go back to my “faith walk” I have to focus by “Casting all my anxiety/doubt on Him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
Casting is literally to transmit/throw/shed my doubts onto God:
- Ask myself, “Have the purposes and plans in my life become my shrine that I worship-instead of God?”
- Talk to God out loud about my doubts. Tell Him about the deep sadness I am feeling, be very honest about my uncertainties for the future and ask Him to show me what I am supposed to learn from this.
- Ask myself, “Do my present failures diminish me as a person? Does it make people love me less?”
- Does God love me less today than He did when everything was going great?
- How can this doubt open new opportunities, purpose or revelations for me?
- God help me with my doubt.
- God give me joy this day and new hope for tomorrow.
Oswald Chambers explains it this way: “Our faith must be in the One from whom our salvation springs. Jesus Christ wants our absolute, unrestrained devotion to Himself. Our faith must be built on strong determined confidence in Him. How can anyone who is indentified with Jesus Christ suffer from doubt or fear?”
So what is causing my doubt? Is it because my present reality, my plans, my perception, my goals, my hopes and dreams did not work out the way I planned? Were they just lies?
God never, ever, ever lies to us. His word is truth, “And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).
I choose to let the truth diminish my doubt. The truth is that God loves me in spite of my tumultuous, uncertain, fragile circumstances and that He will be with me in them, and through them. God promises that He has good plans for my future. I choose to believe Him-I know my faith feelings will follow.
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This is an amazing article on faith in the midst of difficult circumstances. I can relate to so many of those feelings. It helps to be reminded that God and the people around us do not love us any less when we feel disappointed or rejected. You made so many good points. Thank you for sharing this heartfelt blog.
I can so relate, Heidi and also choose to TRUST His truths which are unchanging rather than my feelings or ideas which are so unreliable.
Thanks for sharing this. These seasons never last, thankfully, but it is good to know that I am not the only one who experiences them.
Heidi, I am so right there with you. Things were flowing along nicely and then everything came to a screeching halt. Am I supposed to be a full time speaker or am I supposed to go back to work? Am I supposed to encourage my husband to provide for us or do I step back in to make up the shortfall as I always have in the past? Do I believe God will answer in the 11th hour, and if I don’t, does it mean I have acted outside His perfect will? Am I learning what He wants me to learn?
I think your #1 above about making a shrine of my strengths and dreams is what jumps out at me the most. This weekend our church is having an intense weekend of spiritual growth and renewal. We have been praying in small groups for weeks. It begins tonight with a dinner together. I am so excited to see what God is up to … excited but nervous. Will He tell me what I don’t want to hear? Am I willing to live as though I believe He always has my best in mind?
I want my life to reflect Jesus and His name glorified.
Thank you Michelle, Melinda and Candy for your insights and encouraging words. I love it when you leave comments because I believe in this way we are encouraging and lifting each other up. We are human and we have doubts, but when we bring them out of their dark places and put them under the light of God’s Glory and wisdom, it begins to shift and deminish the discouragement and questions. I appreciate you!