Have you ever had doubts or felt uncertainty about God? Have you ever thought God should have come through for you, and it seems He didn’t? Have you had times when Heaven seemed silent, and you felt alone? If so, you are not alone in this struggle.
In the reading this morning, we see a man whose greatness was confirmed by Jesus, yet John the Baptist was having doubts about Jesus. Some great men in the Bible, such as Moses (Numbers 11:10-15), Elijah (1 Kings 19), and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:7-9, 14-18), knew what it was like to doubt. Even Paul knew of despair, as seen in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9. Notice John’s struggle, And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’ ” (Luke 7:20, ESV) John was stricken with doubt! Was Jesus really the Messiah?
Doubt is not the same as unbelief. There is a difference! Doubt is a matter of the mind; unbelief is a matter of the will. Doubt is the mind unable to understand what God is doing or why He is doing it. Unbelief is simply a refusal to believe. Oswald Chambers said, “Doubt is not always a sign that a man is wrong; it may be a sign that he is thinking.” John was dealing with significant strain. He was a bold and courageous man for God, yet locked up in prison with seemingly nothing but silence from Jesus, the very one his life was to introduce. This didn’t make sense.
Just as Jesus reassured John that He was the Messiah, God reassures us. I am reminded of a verse in Isaiah. Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10, ESV) May the faithfulness of God reassure our minds and hearts, for He is faithful to His Word, and His promises never fail, even though our thoughts may be disturbed by the circumstances around us.
Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Matthew 8:1-13; Luke 7.