Tag: Doubt

Blanket

by 4letsgetrealtogetherLeave a Comment on Blanket
Blanket

It’s late…or is it early? Can’t tell. Still dark, so it could be either. Heart racing, body drenched in a slick sweat, I throw the covers aside and fumble my way into the bathroom. Trying to erase whatever prompted that trapped feeling, I splash cool water all over my face, attempting to wash away any of the unpleasant remnants, and watch them disappear down the drain.

If only everything were that easy. Remove the obstacle. Find different ground. Cleanse away impurities. Release the remnants. But how does that work when what blankets you isn’t tangible? When you cannot grab hold of the hindrance for the first removal step? Where do you begin when wrestling with an invisible opponent?

Catastrophically covered in doubt is simply suffocating and no way to live. It’s the equivalent of undertaking an ocean swim with cement blocks tied to your ankles. Now to the observer, it’s obvious this is an impossible task. The straightforward remedy would be removing the blocks, which anyone could plainly see–except for the swimmer who’s completely unaware of his cement bound feet.

Ridiculous, you might think. Who in their right mind wouldn’t notice the absurd addition? The swimmer, of course, who’d already been straining against the current, bashed by the waves, and blinded by the salty spray. At that point, one more ball thrown at the already struggling juggler doesn’t matter. Everything had already begun crashing down.

Doubt is the devil’s blanket. Although we cannot see it, we feel the weight crushing us. Doubt can snuff out even the most vibrant dream. When allowed to get a foothold, doubt multiplies and mutates faster than cancer. DOUBT is the devil obliterating uniquely beautiful truths.

We know the devil is evil, plain and simple. 1 Thessalonians 5 :22 tells us to “reject every kind of evil.” However, when the deceiver slips quietly into our thoughts, we often miss the opportunity to refute him before he wields his destruction.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Romans 12:21

Good is God’s Word. Good is God’s Truths. “Very good” is what He calls His beloved, whom He made wonderfully and uniquely in His image.

Maybe you don’t see doubt as evil. That’s too far of a stretch. Ok, let me ask you this: how often has doubt kept you from doing the right thing? Standing up for truth when it wasn’t popular? Pursuing a passion in the midst of naysayers? Stepping into uncharted waters? Believing His Word over the world’s “wisdom?” Doubt is just one tool in the devil’s arsonal. And if the devil’s use of doubt causes you to stumble away from what God purposefully created you to fulfill, then that, my friend, is evil.

Doubt and peace cannot coexist in the same place. I long for peace. I’m weary from wrestling with the devil’s doubt. Evil has no place within me if I am wholly His. Lord, forgive me for permitting pockets of doubt to invade me. Protect me from its poison and purge this evil for good. Wash me white as snow, purifying my head and heart so I may fully receive the peace you offer. Cover me completely, tucking in all the sides, enabling me to rest comfortably in your trustworthy promises. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Help

by 4letsgetrealtogetherLeave a Comment on Help
Help

October 8, 2019

In grade school, we learned to raise our hand. Speak up. Ask questions. Request help. This such a basic lesson, and yet, one most adults have forgotten. We don’t raise our hand, speak up, ask questions or request help. We are embarrassed. We are prideful. We are stubborn. It seems we’d rather give up, drown, or fail before we did this simple task: raise our hand.

The other side of the coin is raising our hand to offer help. Some do this too frequently. Some rarely do it. Some don’t think they are “qualified” to do it.  Some don’t feel they have the means to do it. Some believe another will do it. Some just flat don’t want to do it.

Whichever side you fall on, the reason we avoid help boils down one thing: doubt. We doubt ourselves. We doubt our ability. We doubt whether or not there’s a real need. We doubt…instead of asking or volunteering. 

Everyone needs help, at one point or another; though we’d rather not admit it. But here’s the thing: we are human. We cannot do it alone. We get caught up in the mind battle of, “why can’t I just…”

Even Moses, the prophet whom God chose to deliver the commandments and lead the Israelites out of Egypt, needed help. When they were fighting the Amalekites, Moses raised up his hands, and the most incredible thing happened: God was there! He sent Moses help in the form of two caregivers (Aaron and Hur).

“As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up–one on one side, one on the other–so that his hands remained steady until sunset” (Exodus 17:11-12 NIV).

…and the Israelites won! Moses wasn’t on the “front line” fighting. He stood on a hill, arms raised, silently supporting. When Moses grew tired, Aaron and Hur saw a need and filled it… steadily holding up his hands. You see, we are all puzzle pieces in God’s master plan. We are meant to join and work together. In doing so, we are granted access to a larger picture. When we admit “we can’t,” He sends someone in His stead to help.

“Help each other with your troubles. When you do this, you truly obey the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2 ICB).

Whether you are the one in need of help or one who feels called to help, raise you hand, my friend. He will use you mightily. He will strengthen you. And maybe, you will no longer doubt you are worthy of His grace.