The year is coming to an end. At the beginning of 2019, many of us set resolutions or goals for ourselves. You may have chosen to try and lose those extra pounds or to put more money away to save up for something big. Continuing to work toward a goal for 365 days is a big task. Lots of people (including myself) have trouble executing this. Throughout the year, things come up that you may not expect. Your life may alter a bit, and your attention can’t always be focused on that goal you set for yourself in January. By the time you get to December, you see your resolution fading. You may be asking, “Why didn’t I try harder?” or “Am I weak?”
Doubt comes up in everyone’s lives, and it is hard to combat. While you live your life, nothing is ever going to be perfect. The perfectionist in me always sees the things I could have done better. Right now, students are receiving their final grades. Last year, in one class, I was less than two percentage points away from that A that I had been working so hard to get. I beat myself up and thought, “Why couldn’t I have done this just a bit better?” I know students who wonder why they chose their major or why they are in school at all. They feel as if they aren’t smart enough or good enough to be there. These are all examples of doubt. The Bible tells of countless people who experienced doubt. It is one of the many sins we commit daily. Throughout the Bible, God speaks of doubt and urges us to trust in Him.
God Has a Plan
In Jeremiah 29:11, God tells His people, “For I know the plans I have for you, … plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” This verse speaks to me because, as a senior about to graduate and look for a job, I have plenty of doubt in my abilities and my knowledge of my profession. Maybe for you, it’s the thought of finding a new job is what is creating doubt in your mind. My mother was a stay-at-home mom for twenty years and decided to get a job after my sister and I went away to college. She faced a lot of doubt because of her lack of job experience. In every stage of life, we all face some doubt.
You may also face doubt in your relationships. Whether it’s a platonic or romantic relationship, you may doubt the other person’s intentions, honesty, or love for you. In a society where couples are increasingly unfaithful to each other, it’s hard to trust. Where there is lack of trust, there is doubt. It is hard to continue a relationship when there is a big cloud of doubt in the room. James 1:6 says, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” I love this Bible verse because it is the perfect analogy for the effects doubt can have on you. When you are not certain of yourself, you let other factors affect you and your decisions. These confounding thoughts are influenced by Satan himself. He persuades you to think that you are not good enough, that God wanted this to happen to you, or that God does not care about you. This is not true. God knows exactly what is coming next for you. He has no doubt in you. He knows that after this period of uncertainty, you will come out stronger.
Turning to God
In times of doubt, it is important to turn to God. He has a plan for you. Pray during these times. He will give you the strength and confidence to keep going. In the Book of Matthew, Jesus went to the fig tree to gather food. He found nothing. He cursed the tree, and it withered instantly. When the disciples saw this, they wondered how it withered so fast. “Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea,” it will happen’” (Matthew 21:21). Jesus is saying that when you cling to what God promises you in His Word, you will find yourself more willing to trust those promises in your everyday decisions. You may not always see the fruit you hope for, but you can know that God is still working in you and through you.
When you start to reflect on the resolutions you made fifty-two weeks ago, know that everything takes time. Don’t give up. Know that God is with you.
Discover how to escape the doubts in your life. Find your “enough” in God.
