"Why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14:31)
Jesus asks Peter to step out of the boat amidst a storm. Peter is invited to do the humanly impossible . . . walk on water. It may be impossible for humans, but not for God. Peter gets nervous, sinks and then Jesus asks him . . . . "Why did you doubt?"
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Huh, why do we doubt? Of any point in my life, I feel like the last couple of years and the next year or so have had/will have the potential to be racked with doubt. I have doubted what God's call is for my life many times. I have doubted God's involvement in the world. I have doubted how God can love the world so much and yet there be so much poverty and suffering in the world. I doubt. There are times when I doubt. Yet, at the same time, I feel so blessed with faith. I feel like every time I have ever doubted God, it has given another opportunity for God to strengthen my faith. When I have doubted my calling in life, God has answered with a sense of call and blessing. When I doubt God's involvement in the world I witness people going to the end's of the earth to help a child in need. When I doubt God's love in the face of poverty and suffering I have witnessed people praising His name in spite of their human suffering. With every doubt God has found a way to strengthen my faith. God has entered my life in ways to demonstrate both His goodness and His greatness. God is good. All the time.
Everyone doubts from time to time. If we are not questioning the things around us or the faith within us then we are blindly following others instead of seeking a personal relationship with God. Some believe that doubt translates to a weak faith. However, if in doubt we seek truth and answers then out of our doubt our faith will grow. As a youth minister, I never deride young people (or any other people) for expressing doubt. I think it's healthy to ask questions and seek answers. Acknowledge doubt, seek answers, and embrace a deeper faith.
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As a example of doubt and questions . . . I'm really wondering where God is at in the current state of adoption in Ethiopia. I know he is there in and amidst the changes that are happening. My prayers for today are with those in our agency who are working at closing our agency's transition house. Newly inforced rules are keeping the children in orphanages instead of having them moved to agency's transition houses with plenty of nanny supervision and interaction, plenty of food and water, and plenty of resources and supplies. So as I type this there are children and babies being moved from the transition house back to their orphanages. After this move there are also approximately 2 dozen amazing people in Ethiopia that will no longer have jobs as nannies, cooks, housekeepers and guards. I wonder how God will work with all of these events. I pray for all of these children. I pray for all of these people who are now facing unemployment. I pray for those that are assisting with the closing. I pray for those who will continue to work on behalf of all the children and families adopting them. Pray with me.
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