Dave’s Monday Blast – October 26, 2020
Does your faith ever waiver? I imagine it does at times. I find that my faith can be challenged when God does not provide what I’ve requested in the time and manner that I determined to be best for the circumstance. This can be especially true when I am praying for something that I am firmly convinced is in accordance with His will. Is it possible though that my fluctuating faith isn’t really about unanswered prayer but about a misunderstanding of what God is doing in my life?
The book of James tackles the issue of doubt by first addressing God’s purpose for our trials as taught in James 1:2 -3. Read this passage now. INTENTIONAL men know that sometimes God doesn’t immediately give the relief we seek because He’s using that particular trial to produce something good in us.
Then He tells us what to do in James 1:4 – 8. Keep reading the passage. God wants us to come to Him with our requests, trusting that He hears us. However, if He doesn’t answer them immediately, it’s not because He doesn’t care. His purposes are always accomplished according to HIS TIMING, NOT OURS. He may answer in a different manner or a later date than we expect. (In truth it may be months or years…and you may never even see your request come to pass). That’s why we wait and trust Him even when we see no evidence of an answer.
Jesus says, when we doubt the Lord, we are like “the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind” (v.6). One minute we’re confidently trusting God, and the next moment we’re wondering if He answers prayer at all. Perhaps we’ll only believe Him if He gives us a little encouragement along the way. Or sometimes we fuss and argue with the Lord, thinking this will motivate Him to answer sooner. But all our doubts reveal that we are impatient, we don’t know God’s will, or we’re not yet ready to receive His answer.
Pastor Charles Stanley comments: “Whenever God delays in responding to our petitions, He’s teaching us to consistently trust and believe Him, not because we see the answer, but because He’s promised to hear and answer our prayers. When doubts arise because God delays, it’s due to our lack of trust in Him, not a lack of care or ability on the Lord’s part.”
Next week I want to share some common causes of wavering faith from Charles Stanley and then conclude the discussion with how to best correct this problem. I want to make it clear though, doubt is not uncommon and we do not need to be ashamed in our humanity of how we feel. It is a challenge to overcome by the power of the Lamb and the Word of His testimony.
