They are not the same thing. This bothers me, since I often struggle with doubt. Let it confirm or deny your beliefs. For example, I identified with the man who told Jesus, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). Gideon though still isn’t convinced. But it is also time for us to move despite our doubts. All of those doubts are okay to have, JUST SO LONG AS YOU BELIEVE just enough to call upon the name of the Lord. Nope! Atheism requires one thing of you. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Thankfully, God is greater than our doubts. It is hard for me to believe that God really and truly sees me and loves me. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. How do I know for sure? Instead of judging other Christians for having questions, let’s love and help each other by … But he still took his army into the Midianite camp and gained victory despite his doubts. Now, Gideon is certainly no one special. Then Gideon asks for a sign. The issue is not about having doubts, which usually just means we haven’t figured things out. 2) Many people think doubt is unforgivable, but it isn’t. I am the least important person from the least important tribe.” It sounds a lot like David in the Goliath story, right? Why? But alas, that is not how the story goes. It is time to admit that following God does not remove all of our doubts. Gideon kept doubting God over and over again, which leads to believe that he never really stopped doubting. For a season, you were committed to Christ. You see, often our faith is based only on our emotions; sometimes we feel God is near us or we feel we believe in Christ—but other times we don’t feel that way. The Lord Jesus said to love God with our minds, and wrestling through the hard, meaty issues of apparent contradictions and complications is one way we do that. And yet, the question I am asked most often is, “how do you know?”. I want to believe fully and not have these doubts. By now, you must be thinking that Gideon is quite a man of faith. If we seek, knock and ask, we have Jesus’ word: We will find. That means we will always have unanswered questions; things that cause us to doubt God and ourselves. Many of our doubts stem from the same cause: we do not understand the Scriptures. Of course, God obliges and waits for Gideon to do so. Doubt. So he asks God to flip the scenario this time: make the ground wet and the fleece dry. He is taking 300 men into a battle after all, he must have great faith in God. Notice what changed Thomas: It wasn’t his feelings, but the fact that Christ was alive and cared about him. We will always have doubt. But when he saw Christ, his doubts vanished and he immediately exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). ©2021 BGEA It is time for us to accept that doubts will come and are a natural part of faith. I don't know why I have these doubts that he's not with me but I wan't to know that's he there. God doesn’t condemn us when we question him. We consciously set our doubts aside with the hope that they will eventually be resolved. I was walking to church one day having meditated on Romans 1 where it says, “what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them . And without answers, questions grow into lingering doubts, which push us away from Jesus rather than bring us toward Him. I know I am not the only one who gets these questions. At one time, it was so simple. The very first act of the serpent (Lucifer) in the Garden of Eden was to cast doubt upon God’s Word to Adam by regurgitating those infamous words, ’ Yea, hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’ (Genesis 3). It requires a little bit of trust. 1 Corinthians 14:33 promises, “God is not a God of confusion but of peace” (ESV). But not always. “You want to believe in God. How could God be with these people if terrible things are happening to them? To let our faith and trust in God outweigh the power of those doubts. It is okay to doubt if there is a Hell, or a literal Heaven, or if Jesus is the Christ, or if the Bible is really God's Word. This was a crushing defeat in the end. We act like faith is some logical, rational step in our lives. They are questions I have asked myself many times, but I also ask other mentors in my life these very same questions. So he tells God to give him a sign: he will set out a fleece and if God can make the fleece wet, but the ground dry, he will know victory is his. In fact you can have a strong faith and still have some doubts. Simply this: Put your faith in Christ, and keep your focus on Him as He is revealed in the pages of the Bible. That was usually done on a hill, but he was scared it would be taken so he is taking care of it in a hole in the ground. I want you to know today the truth about great people: Great people don’t let doubt stop them from doing. That story told me that Jesus wanted me to be honest about my doubts. In fact, the Midianites were so defeated that they were turning their swords on each other. The same is true with salvation. There is room within me to experience greater belief, but my doubts sometimes threaten to swallow me up.” Please help me from the Word of God that I may settle the salvation of my soul. Let me just describe my experience a little bit so that maybe the reader or listener will be able to handle his own doubts. When they got goods, they would steal that too. It was like a cancer that no amount of prayer could stop. However, the doubt just isn’t done yet. Thomas still followed Jesus with all his heart despite his doubts. I know my sins and my failures. Gideon’s response is what most of us would have responded: “God, all this bad stuff has been happening. Moses did lead his people out of slavery despite his doubt. Jesus will come to me when I run from him with my doubts. Ask God to open your mind to understand it. But first, start by ignoring or forgetting everything you have been told about God/god. This Young Chess Champion Knows the King of Kings. He tells God he will bring an offering to be sure that it is really God. ( Log Out /  You would think that by now Gideon would realize that God is with Him for real and is going to hand the Midianites to him easily. There is very little that God can do with the cool and indifferent. Toll Free: 1-877-247-2426. Is that realistic? The first one says, “how will we ever outrun this bear?” The second says, “I don’t have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you.” The Midianites were running scared and sacrificing each other to stay alive. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. ( Log Out /  To overcome doubt, a Christian should continually seek God through Bible study and prayer. All the men and women of faith that we preach every week, the ones we read about in our Bibles and hear about on the news, have doubts, but they don’t let those doubts keep them from moving and doing. That is because they do not want to believe. It is time for us to accept that doubts will come and are a natural part of faith. God’s indictment is on those who refuse to trust. Doubt is not inherently a bad thing. The fact that we turn to him at all is only possible by his gracious action in our hearts and minds. Live life big through the doubt. He is doubting that it is really God telling him these things. You can be a full-fledged Christian without having to feel like every single matter of faith and life has been 100% absolutely settled in your life. Despite my doubts, God met me in all those ways, and more. On the other hand, the honest skeptic will change, when presented with the facts. We do have an important part to play in His plan, though. I have attended many church services and conferences in the seven and a half years I have been a Christ-follower. "One gentleman that I was doing business with, he put it this way. It isn’t realistic because our Bible is one long story of people doubting. Let it simply serve as your source of research. I don’t have to have all the answers to believe in God. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. So God has the men go to drink from the water. He was like 'I envy you because I would love to have faith. I want you to notice something in this story though: Gideon never did stop doubting. No. Gideon had doubts from the very beginning to the very end. Sure, I would love to see every Christian have faith without ever doubting. As I said in my last post, we will never have every answer in life. But he isn’t quite sure (still). Home We always share stories of great faith; men and women who do extraordinary things in the name of Christ. (I find this part particularly amusing!) I would encourage you to doubt your doubts and believe your beliefs. How do I know that God is real? . How do I know that God is leading me to that job or person or big decision? Over and over, I was invited to experience God. It is doubt that plagues Gideon. My doubts are not about the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, but whether I have truly believed in Christ Jesus. It isn’t. And that was it. It is okay to have doubts. The natural mind tends to doubt and fear and question what the Bible says rather than simply believe. And that I could ask him to help me with them. Local: 704-401-2432 Once Gideon returns, the offering is consumed by the fire of God. For that, I propose we look at one of my favorite Bible stories: Gideon. God was going to be sure the doubt-prone Gideon knew who had won the battle for him. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. What am I saying? This story is found in the book of Judges, chapters 6 and 7. Unfortunately, life hit you hard and you began to have doubts. Gideon tells his men that anyone who is scared can go home. Abraham doubted he would have a child. 1) Many people think doubt is the opposite of faith, but it isn’t. Unbelief refers to a willful refusal to believe, while doubt refers to inner uncertainty. That is because they had truthful and heartfelt questions about God and His Word. The Midianites just ravaged them. To let our faith and trust in God outweigh the power of those doubts. Don’t dismiss your objections easily, *and* don’t dismiss God easily. Yet, we preach faith without doubt over and over. When you do, your faith will grow and your doubts will flee. Because, I know who I am. You will be encouraged.” Gideon could have said, “No, no, I am sure we have victory”. (Topic ID: 1545373) Then take time every day to pray, and to read His Word, the Bible. They make assumptions about me that I don't have real doubts," he explained. Begin by asking Christ to come into your life—and He will. I know the thoughts in my heart. Gideon’s response? Ultimately, our story ends with the Israelites defeating the Midianites big time. ‘God Always Has a Plan’: Encouragement from Will Graham, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28201 Whenever they planted, the Midianites would steal it. But feelings are not a reliable guide to the truth! 10,000 is still too many and Gideon might still think he did it on his own. Make sure you are committed to Jesus Christ and have given your life to Him. Believe in Your Beliefs and Doubt Your Doubts. There can be no doubt that God will be the reason for this victory. This time, he doubts himself. So an angel goes out and finds Gideon. Don’t let the doubts handicap your life. In fact, he is a terrified man. Even if people have a difficult time with faith, if they struggle to seek after and follow God, they are light years ahead of one who does not believe and does not care. He is so scared of the Midianites, he is found threshing wheat in a winepress. The Midianites owned the Israelites during that time. . He gathers up his 32,000 men and prepares to head out, but God has different plans. 1. You have doubt for a reason. I don’t know why we continue to shame people with doubts, whether believers or not. Frankly, there are many hard teachings in the Bible, some of which we won’t resolve until we are with the Lord. God calls out to this man hiding in a hole and tells him that He is with him. So God will prove his existence one day, but now he simply provides strong evidence so people have the opportunity to believe him in faith (2 Peter 3:9). May 31, 2005 The Israelites had done something really bad apparently because it tells us that they were handed over to the Midianites for 7 years. Don't ignore it. ( Log Out /  The Christian who doubts their understanding of God will walk with humility and grace. And I believe they can co-exist, and I believe they should co-exist. Join the online community, create your anime and manga list, read reviews, explore the forums, follow news, and so much more! So now Gideon and his 10,000 remaining men prepare to go, but God still isn’t done. But there is a truth we always seem to forget: these men and women had doubts too. We can say, “Lord, help me with my doubts. So to answer my question early, YES, you can follow God and still have doubts. Try to remain neutral and confront all information head on. I have heard it preached that God removes doubt from our minds. Needless to say, I have heard many messages on having faith that can move mountains. Ask yourself these questions. Read More: When Billy Graham Overcame Doubt So from here, God essentially tells Gideon that this whole problem is going to be solved because God will send Gideon to make the devastation stop. Indeed, we do have doubts but we don't let the doubts take our eyes off of the prize which is God. Is that ideal? After the resurrection, Thomas, one of Jesus’ disciples, had the same facts the other disciples did, but unlike them he refused at first to believe. I have heard messages about how God relieves our fears and burdens. Some time later, Gideon gathers the troops (under the influence of the Holy Spirit) and prepares to take down the Midianites. ( Log Out /  Because with that many men, Gideon could have easily claimed victory for himself and Israel instead of knowing that God had won the victory for them. 22,000 men left and went home on the spot. If you want to believe in God you're eventually just going to do mental gymnastics to push the doubts to the back of your mind. BGEA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. So when we start doubting God’s existence, the proper response is to start with faith and then look for answers. That means his army is .9% the size of his original forces. Contact Us. I am convinced that the Christians with the deepest most meaningful faith and belief in God, have some of the deepest and most profound questions and doubts about faith as well. Does he though? It’s easy to be dismissive toward those who have doubts because we really, really don’t want to have the same problems. And the same can be true for you. He takes his servant to the camp, telling us that he was indeed still doubting his victory. Permissions But it is also time for us to move despite our doubts. Your doubts grew and your faith shrunk. By Billy Graham   •   In John 6:60, many of those who had followed Jesus turned away when He taught some hard things. But I'm just always, I'm the kind of person that doubts … Read the topic about I want to believe in God, but I just can't on MyAnimeList, and join in the discussion on the largest online anime and manga database in the world! Then make it your goal to grow closer to Him by reading His Word, the Bible, and praying, and having fellowship with other believers every day. Following Jesus isn’t a blind action, and pushing down your questions isn’t an act of faith — it’s an act of willful ignorance. It's hard for me to believe anything just because other people tell me I'm supposed to. God tells Gideon he has too many men.   •   Topics: Faith, Jesus Christ. God does just that very thing, making the fleece so wet that it fills a bowl with water. Gideon is once again doubting. God does that too. God bless you. All of these people were men of faith, men who followed God wholeheartedly, and yet they had doubts. 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