The Moments of Doubt
Read the Text: Luke 7
Memorize the Text: He said to them, “Whenever you pray, say, Father, your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone in debt to us. And do not bring us into temptation. (Luke 11:2-4)
Consider the Text: Luke 7:18-35
John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus. As the forerunner, he declared the coming Messiah and identified him with the baptism of Jesus. John the Baptist knew Jesus to be the Messiah that the Old Testament prophets declared and that he set the table for. Though he was a man serving the Lord, there was still a moment of doubt that entered in and caused him to question Jesus concerning his true identity. If a person like John the Baptist can doubt, then we can struggle with the same problem.
John the Baptist dealt with doubt due to NEGATIVE EVENTS HE EXPERIENCED. John the Baptist was disliked by the religious leaders of the day because of his faithfulness to the Lord. His life showed how serving the Lord draws persecution from those in the world. As persecution occurs, the pain and negative experiences can creep in and cause thinking that leads to doubt. The events serve as a spiral that often spins out of control and leads to chaos.
When we experience negative events, we become susceptible to spiral down a path toward doubting. We can get the point of questioning the goodness of what is occurring and sometimes asking about the presence of the Lord. The poem “Footprints in the Sand” demonstrates how believers can question the presence of God, even when he is carrying us because we get distracted by events and moments, much like John the Baptist.
The doubt John the Baptist experienced motivated him to SEEK A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF CHRIST. John the Baptist sent his disciples to find out if Jesus truly was the Messiah. This activity of sending occurred due to John wanting to not only have affirmation of Christ as Messiah, but to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of Christ. The season of doubt caused a greater desire to gain knowledge.
When we struggle with moments of doubt, we can allow these moments to produce a deeper desire to understand Christ more. As we experience difficulty and turn to Jesus, we often have set the stage in our life to see God work in ways that promote deeper spiritual growth. Though the negative moments in life can become a deterrent to our spiritual journey, they can also become great catalyst.
Jesus affirmed John the Baptist when the disciples of John came SEEKING. Jesus affirmed John’s question by declaring that he was the promised Messiah. John’s desire to seek affirmation opened the door for Jesus to speak into the moments and give the needed affirmation. Jesus took the negative experiences that John the Baptist was enduring and used them as an opportunity to reaffirm the faith of John the Baptist.
When we seek affirmation, God offers ways of affirmation. He offers the evidence of his acts and works in the world and in our lives and continually reveals his goodness and greatness. The affirmation provides a method of strengthening one’s faith foundation and promoting a stronger relationship. When one seeks the Lord, this occurs as we desire to hear from him and desire to know him more intimately.
John the Baptist faced difficult situations that placed him in jail and eventually cost him his life. In the midst of these events he experienced a moment of doubt concerning Christ and needed affirmation. As he sought Jesus, he gained affirmation from Jesus. Similarly, when we have moments of doubt, Christ desires to affirm our faith and challenge us to grow in our faith. So when you face moments of struggle and doubt, seek Jesus and let him give the needed affirmation.
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
