Do you really believe that God will do what He said He will do? Are you aware of all the wonderful promises that God has spoken in His word concerning you and your posterity? Have you encountered Jesus on a personal level, yet still doubt what he can do?
John 20:27-29
27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Doubt is real. No matter what stage you are in your walk with God, we are all prone to doubt God and his promises. Thomas, who personally knew Jesus and spent much time with him and had heard Jesus prophesy about his death and resurrection, needed more proof that Jesus had indeed been resurrected from the dead. He needed to know that what he was seeing was real. Just like Thomas, we too have experienced the power of God. We too have walked with Him personally. He has delivered us from so many things – sin, bad decisions, sickness, poverty, bad relationships, rejection, etc. But in that moment when the crowd is gone and things are as real as they can be, doubt creeps in.
Thomas had good reason to be doubtful. This had never been done before – Someone being resurrected from the dead was not an everyday occurrence . No one is saying that you do not have reason to be doubtful, but you probably have more reason to believe God. Consider what He has done before. Look around at what He is doing in your life and in the lives of those around you.
Thomas needed physical proof that Jesus was indeed right in front of him. Speak to the woman who doctors told she could have no children and she now has more than one child. Speak to the man who was delivered from the accident that no one should have survived. Speak to the girl who felt worthless and rejected, but now has purpose and value. Speak to the boy who was called no good, but now is depositing worth into the lives of others. They are all around you, see the proof. Touch their scars, hear their stories. After Thomas saw the “proof,” he exclaimed “My Lord and my God” in acknowledgement of blindness to the truth. Stop doubting and believe.
Just because I have not encountered the situation or seen God work in that way does not mean that He cannot do it. Stop doubting and believe. When I ask God to do something in my life and get anxious because I see no sign that He is working…Stop doubting and believe. Yes, some unfortunate things happened along the way, but that doesn’t dictate my life’s story. Stop doubting and believe.
I don’t have the money or the resources to make this happen Lord. Stop doubting and believe. No one is there to help me along the way. Stop doubting and believe. But I didn’t get offered the position. Stop doubting and believe. I don’t see how this will work out for my good. Stop doubting and believe. I can’t do it because I don’t make enough money. Stop doubting and believe.
Stop doubting and believe. Stop doubting and believe. Simple words, but tough to obey. To believe means that I know that through Christ all things are possible. To believe means that I recognize my limitations and choose to trust in the One with no limits. To believe means that I acknowledge that Christ’s power is working in and through me. Lord, take away my unbelief. Help me to stop doubting and just believe.
Anonymous
May 3, 2013I needed that….thank you
Mina