“Let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6-8
You were not born to doubt. Doubt develops progressively through a series of hurts, disappointments and failures. The background of your walk with God consisted of gross negativity, and when you heard the gospel, God renewed faith in your heart. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9. Since your salvation experience, however, you may have fallen back into a negative pattern of thinking. You continually think about things you don’t like. You are too easily angered by things people do. Nothing is right. A generally sour attitude characterizes your demeanor.
In this atmosphere, Satan deliberately plants questions about God’s love and forgiveness. You may doubt whether you have or ever received the Holy Spirit. You may dismiss the blessings of living for God as coincidental or superfluous. You may waver on other premises like whether you are “cut out” for a spiritual life, whether prayer really works, whether holiness is necessary, etc. These mounting inner doubts put questions in your mind about others as well. Eventually, you became overwhelmed with a feeling of hypocrisy and phoniness. Unchecked, skepticism turns into cynicism, and destines you to a total loss of purpose and direction in life.
Doubt is disbelief, questioning the tenants of your faith. Its insidious nature reveals itself in a false, expansive, inclusionary attitude by allowing all players to sit at your mental table. That simply allows for double-mindedness, vacillating between two opinions. Doubt discourages bold action. Instead, it causes hesitation and uncertainty. Doubt may be a philosophical questioning of God himself as did the Athenian Greeks. (Acts 17:16-21), or it may be a practical failure to believe God’s promise as did Eve in Genesis 3:1.
Do not coddle doubt. Boldly denounce it. Abraham refused to doubt God in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Romans 4:13-25. Thomas renounced his doubt when confronted with overwhelming evidence of the miracle. (John 20:24-29). Recognize the appearance of doubt. Negative thoughts in your mind is not sin, but a temptation to sin. Understand that doubt is negative, and if you yield to it, the result will be negative as well. Doubt is like any other trait of the fleshly nature. It is always there, but you must keep it in check. “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16. Never base any spiritual decisions on doubt. God does not work through doubt. “Whatever is not from faith is sin.” Romans 14:23.
You can defeat your doubt by building up your faith. “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:8-9. You must also exercise your faith. “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Hebrews 5:14. Keep your experience with God current. “That your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:5. Finally, when assailed by doubt, don’t go it alone. Share your problems with a brother or sister and get prayer and support. This is the wisdom of the church community. We love one another.