I was talking with a friend in the hospital not long ago who was getting ready to be taken into major surgery. As you can imagine, he was pretty nervous. So right before the nurse came in to take him away, he asked me, “Warren, what if I don’t make it through this?” And I was able to pray with him before they wheeled him into surgery.
We’ve all asked that question, haven’t we? Oh, it may not have been before a major surgery, but every single person at one time or another has given thought to the question, “What if… What if I’m not loved… What if I never find a new spouse… What if I don’t recover from this sickness?”
These kinds of worries vary from person to person, but they all have one common denominator between them: doubt.
That’s right. Every single worry you could ever have is a direct result of doubting God. How do we know this? Because God tells us in His Word that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). So as a believer in Christ, to think that any situation isn’t going to work out for your good is to doubt the promise of Scripture!
Now the Bible is clear that doubt is the enemy of any true believer in Jesus Christ. That’s why the Lord tells us in Mark 11:23, “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.”
Here, Jesus not only tells us what we shouldn’t do – doubt, but He also tells us what we should do – believe. The reason for this is clear… belief and doubt are completely opposed to one another. It’s impossible for doubt to exist when we wholeheartedly believe in the promises of God!
So what is belief? It’s faithful trust in the person and promises of Jesus Christ. It’s knowing – not just thinking – that He is on your side at every turn. It’s giving yourself fully to Him and expecting an amazing return as He lavishes His indescribable blessings on you.
But here’s the most important thing you and I can remember about doubt: God doesn’t doubt. When you’re at the very end of yourself and see no way out, God already has your escape mapped out. He knows exactly how He’s going to come through and be glorified in your situation. He’s intimately aware of your pain, and is eager to show you how He’s going to bring you through if you’ll only cling to Him.
As my friend was getting ready to be taken for surgery, I calmly assured him, “Whatever happens, God is on your side. Trust Him.” And whatever circumstances you face today, believe that God is going to come through, working everything out for your good. When you have that kind of belief, the burden of doubt will fall away as you live with eager expectation of God’s wonderful blessings!