Dealing with Doubt
There is something that we have all faced in our past, something that we may even be facing right now and it is definitely something that ALL of us will face in the future!
It’s something that has the potential to steal our dreams, our confidence, and our vision.
Yet, this same thing has the potential to propel us towards our dreams, increase our confidence and extend our vision.
It’s a voice that we all hear and it’s a voice that we all need to be equipped to deal with.
{It’s the voice of DOUBT}
I believe that doubt can do 1 of 2 things – it will either cripple our destiny or it will drive us towards it!
Doubt cripples our destiny when we refuse to deal with it. It can seem so much easier in the short term to just keep pushing doubt aside and pushing it down but in the long term we’ll find that the same undealt with doubt will keep surfacing and keep holding us back.
When we decide to deal with our doubts head on, when we decide to get a little bit uncomfortable in our own questioning, then our doubts can actually be turned into one of our greatest strengths.
When we deal with our doubts:
{DOUBT STOPS BECOMING OUR DESTROYER AND IT BECOMES OUR BEST BUILDING BLOCK}
“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will” Suzy Kassem
WHY? Because doubt, when we don’t deal with it, keeps our dreams small, it limits our vision and it shrinks our confidence.
I wonder what doubt has spoken to you…
Maybe you have had to deal with the voice that’s says:
“Who do you think you are to be doing what you’re doing?”
“You can’t possibly do that”
“You’re not smart enough”
“God’s promises are for everyone else, but they are not for you”
“You can’t balance family and ministry”
“You will never be noticed or taken seriously”
What does the voice of doubt sound like to you right now, in your current season?
Doubt often comes in the form of “WHAT IF?” & “I CAN’T”
“What if I don’t fit in?” “What if I step into something new and make a mistake?” “I can’t possibly step into leadership?” “I can’t talk to that mum at school that’s always on her own, what will she think of me?” “I can’t let people see the real me, what if they don’t like me?” I want to encourage you today that whatever doubts you might be facing, maybe you feel like your mind is full of doubts or maybe you’re in a great place of confidence at the moment, we can turn our doubts into one of our greatest strengths! We can allow our doubts to drive us towards our destiny and not cripple it. If we are going to get brave and deal with our doubt then we must: 1. Recognise the lie 2. Replace it with the truth
Doubt grows in the soil of lies Freedom grows in the soil of truth {We need to doubt our doubts before we doubt our faith} Instead of pushing aside the doubts we need to make the brave choice to be present in our doubts and ask God to reveal any lies that we might be believing. Then when we recognise the lie, we replace it with the truth“ So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Vs 31-33 Find the truth in the Word for whatever doubt you are facing and then when that doubt pops up again, because it will…you will be armed with the truth that brings freedom! “You will never be good enough” was a doubt that had deep roots in my life, but when I recognised the lie and began to replace it with the truth that “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” Ps 139:13-14 and “His grace is sufficient for me” 2 Cor. 12:9 then I began to dig up the roots of doubt and freedom began to take flourish in my heart. What doubts is God prompting you to deal with? He isn’t waiting to point a judgmental finger at you, He is waiting to take your doubts and turn them into your greatest strength. He wants to help you to recognise any lies so that He can replace it with His truth that sets you free! Don’t let your doubts cripple your destiny – be courageous and deal with your doubts. Face them head on knowing that on the other side of your doubts, when you place them in the hands of God is strengthened faith, increased vision and greater confidence in who God is and who He has created you to be!
Elise Heerde is a wife, mother, teacher and writer from Melbourne who loves Jesus and passionately shares about the grace, hope and love that He offers to all. She deeply desires to see the broken made whole, the captives set free and the lost brought home. You can find her instagram account here @her.anchor
