20-DAY CHALLENGE: LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE (DAY-3)

AS A CHRISTIAN, WHY WOULD I HAVE DOUBTS AND HOW DO I HANDLE THEM?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs
through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
(John 2:11)

MEDITATION:
If you have been a Christian for some time,
do you ever have periods of doubt, and need reassurance?
Does it create guilty feelings in you?

The disciples of Jesus had given up everything to follow Him
and yet it appears they experienced some doubts at times
(especially during the early years).
When the scriptures say, “His disciples believed in Him”,
apparently they were struggling with their belief until now.

Jesus had just performed His first miracle of turning water
into wine and apparently this event provided the disciples
with the reassurance they needed.
And why wouldn’t it?
Imagine witnessing a miracle such as this.

As could be expected, there were probably some skeptics,
but the disciples were not included in that group.
They knew their commitment to the Lord
had just been confirmed as a wise decision.

The disciples were reassured again whenever Jesus drove
the people out of the temple courts for desecrating God’s house.
So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple
courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money
changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he
said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into
a market!” (John 2:15-16)

How did that event encourage the disciples?
They remembered what the scriptures said
about His passion for His Father’s house,
and they had seen it on full display
as He stopped the desecration of the temple.
His disciples remembered that it is written:
“Zeal for your house will consume me.” (John 2:17)

ACTION:
You may experience periods of doubt,
but it’s what you do with those doubts that’s important.
If you allow guilt to consume you, Satan can seize
the opportunity to discourage you as much as possible.

He cannot take away the salvation God has given you,
but He can render you ineffective as an obedient
servant of the Lord.

If you are not careful, overwhelming guilt
can cause you to fall back into some sinful habits
of the past, in an effort to numb your guilty feelings.
Satan will also fill your mind with thoughts like,
“I’ve already failed, so what difference does
it make if I commit the same sin again?”

When doubt arises in your mind “out of the blue”,
remember how the disciples were reassured.
They thought about the miracles of Jesus, and they
remembered how the scriptures had been fulfilled through Him.

That is reason enough to read the Bible often, and with purpose.
When you see how the scriptures of the Old Testament
are fulfilled in the New Testament, it provides assurance
that Jesus is real and the scriptures can be trusted.
As an example, read Isaiah 40:3 and compare it to John 1:23;
also compare Isaiah 11:2 to John 1:32-34.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for showing me that doubts
can arise, but Your Word teaches me how to respond when
they invade my mind. Help me to dedicate more time to reading
the scriptures and to use them as a source for battling doubt,
and for encouraging me to stay true to my commitment. Remind
me that Satan will seize every opportunity to discourage me from
being a dedicated follower of Jesus, and an effective contributor
to Your earthly ministry.”