Overcoming Doubt and Unbelief

In our life’s journey, we will experience situations where we will have doubts and unbelief.  Let’s be honest, this is natural for us as humans to have these.  It is not a matter of having doubts and unbelief, it is how we learn to overcome them.

Both doubt and unbelief can, if allowed to grown, can cripple us from moving forward into the plans and purpose that God has for us.  Let’s face it, we all have dreams, hope and aspirations, but if we allow the seed of doubt and unbelief to grow, we will constantly put off pursuing those dreams.

When we stand on the Word of the only true and living God, all fears and doubts will have to leave.  I am not saying that we won’t get them from time to time, however, they will not be like a permanent fixture in our minds.

IDENTIFYING THE ROOT CAUSE

Overcoming doubt and unbelief, the first thing is to identify the root cause.  it could be from past experiences, where you have tried starting a project or business and it did not work out.  Because of this, the fear of failure is there as a reminder, which is causing you to have these negative thoughts.

Many times, our doubts and unbelief stem from our childhood.  This can happen when as a child, instead of encouragement, our parents would criticise something that we did or they may even say something like “nothing you try will every work”.  Without you realising it, the spirit of doubt and unbelief entered and has been lingering inside you for years.

Once you understand the source of your doubt and unbelief, you can take steps to not only deal with it, but to also overcome it.

SCRIPTURE VERSES ON OVERCOMING DOUBT AND UNBELIEF

In Matthew 19:26, Jesus said, “with God all things are possible.  When we put our trust and faith in the Lord, we will see the impossible become possible.

In 1 John 4:4, we read, “You are of God little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.  It is the power of God working in and through us that makes what seems impossible possible.

Luke 1:37 tells us that “nothing is impossible with God.”

MOVING FORWARD IN YOUR DREAMS

Have you ever had a dream of taking a different path in life, like going back to school or even start a business?  You decide to share this with a friend but instead of encouraging you, this friend only discourages you.  You may even hear the voice of your parents echoing the doubts in your mind.  With all those negative voices, you eventually talk yourself out of pursing your dreams.

Instead of listening to that negativity, take your dreams and aspirations to the Lord and He will give you wise counsel.

After all, He was the one who had/have planted that seed in your heart in the first place.  In the book of Jeremiah 29:11 reads – “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.  They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

The Lord has such great plans for all of us, so instead of listening to the pessimist, listen only to the voice of the Lord Jesus who tells us in Mark 9:23 – Jesus said to him, “if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

In this Scripture, Jesus was talking to the man whose son was possessed by demons.  this man believed, however, he still had unbelief and this is why he answered Jesus by saying “Lord I believe but help my unbelief”.  He had enough faith in him although it was not a lot.  The Lord wants us to have faith even as small as a mustard seed because it can move mountains.

I am not saying that the doubts won’t come but instead of focusing on our doubts, let us focus only instead on the Lord Jesus and what He tells us in His Word.

If we continue to dwell on our doubts, it can completely overwhelm us, which can prevent us from reaching our full potential in fullfiling the plans that the Lord has for us.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Instead of telling yourself that you can’t, tell yourself that you can and will try.  You won’t know until you try.  After all, as the Scripture tells us, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

In John 10:10 we read, “the thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy, I come that they might have life and that they might have it abundantly.”

Doubt and unbelief are like the thief but when we believe in what the Word of God tells us, we will have life.