Dave’s Monday Blast – November 2, 2020
Last week we began a discussion on the Challenge of Wavering Faith (considering James 1: 2 – 8). This week I want to examine causation factors of a wavering faith from Dr. Charles Stanley.
1. We choose to rely on our feelings rather than on the Word of God. If we shift our focus from the promises in His word to our feelings, our faith will become unstable. But when our faith is grounded in the Word, we never have to question what God says because we stand on truth.
2. We yield to reason rather than believing God. Human reasoning and faith are not always compatible. We may have all kinds of good reasons for making a particular request to God, but He sees more of the situation than we do. If the Lord delays in answering, He has a divine reason that is good, legitimate and helpful.
3. We fail to see God at work in our circumstances. If the Lord doesn’t change our circumstances, it’s because He’s using them to bring us to maturity. His primary purpose is not to give us everything we desire but to shape us into the image of His Son, and He knows the perfect way to accomplish this. Knowing this frees us from worry and doubt and allows us to relax and wait patiently for the Lord to accomplish what He desires in our lives.
4. We listen to the negative counsel of other people. Sometimes those around us can discourage us from persevering in prayer since it appears useless from their perspective. They reason that since God hasn’t answered, there is something wrong with our request and we should stop praying about it. That’s why it is wise to keep some requests just between you and the Lord.
5. We focus on the circumstances rather than God. His desire and objective is to increase our love, devotion, and commitment to Him; yet often all we want is for Him to fix our situation. If He doesn’t intervene according to our time schedule, it’s because He’s working in us to build and strengthen our loving relationship with Him.
6. We are ignorant of God’s ways. When we understand more about God’s ways as revealed in His Word (that’s the key), we will become more patient when His answers are delayed, knowing that He gives us what is best at just the right time. But if we are ignorant of His ways, our confidence in God will wane, and as a result, our faith will suffer.
7. We carry guilt over present or past sins. Instead of looking forward and trusting God, we look back at our sins, forgetting that He has forgiven them (Philippians 3:13). Then we doubt that He will ever answer our prayers since we are undeserving.
Next week: How do we correct our wavering faith?
