To Doubt or to Have Faith
ICS Daily Devotions
Matthew 28:16-17 (NKJV) Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
It was very difficult for some of the disciples to believe that Jesus resurrected even though they saw Him with their own eyes. Some of the disciples had to deal with unbelief just most of us during times of struggles. It might not be with the resurrection because we have chosen to believe in Jesus Christ, but it could be certain issues that we are facing presently.
Some of us might have the mental assent that Jesus has resurrected from the dead, but we are living a life as though He is dead and deaf on hearing. It will keep us in hopelessness. There are three things that will keep us from seeing the light at the end of the tunnel whenever we endure tribulations and sufferings. They are fear, doubt, and unbelief because we are overwhelmed by the circumstances. All three are founded on what we are seeing, reading, feeling, hearing, and experiencing. We should not deny facts nor the experience that we are having but faith will move us forward. Fear, doubt, and unbelief will prevent us from seeing through the eye of faith regarding what God has instore for us in the future. Therefore, we need to deal with these emotions by replacing it with the word of God and to focus on the person Jesus Christ.
Jesus mentioned three times to the disciples that He will rise again after three days. We would have expected the disciples to take His word for it. If they had believed Jesus’ word that He will rise again on the third day, then they should have gathered at the tomb. That’s faith. That’s faith in Jesus’ word.
John 20:25 (NKJV) The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.
A lot of us will tend to waiver in our faith like Thomas did when it comes to faith in God in our daily living especially when we are faced with a very difficult situation. This is especially true when we are very strong in our mind. Some of us might assume the worst-case scenario for everything that we are going through in life. It is human nature to doubt. One thing that we must not allow is to let doubt and unbelief to continue to grow in our lives. It will take control of our lives and cause us to be very pessimistic in every situation. When this happens then we will find fault in every solution. We will rationalize away the truth of the word of God. It will not be very helpful when we are in distress.
Doubt or Faith? The choice is ours based on what we meditate upon daily. We have God in our lives! Jesus is alive! Faith helps us to see into the future. Faith in God help us to walk out of the situation. Faith helps us to walk towards the end of the tunnel!
Sermon Series: Resurrection Sunday – Live by Faith
