Photo by Rajesh Ram on Unsplash

Have you ever been troubled by doubts?

We could easily insert the word dark in place of doubt. When I doubt my circumstances, myself, or God, it's a lot like stumbling around in the dark. I have difficulty seeing where I'm going, my steps grow unsteady, and it’s hard to find my way. Hope seems illusive. Peace is at a premium.

How do we find the faith to trust God when our future is uncertain? What will get us through the dark days of doubt? How do we keep going when there's no sign of either the direction to take or a shift in our circumstances—some of which bring us to our knees?

When our finances are stretched, when our loved one's health is failing, when life as we know it is crumbling around us, and when what we've prayed for remains unfulfilled, it's easy to wonder if God's promises were meant for us personally. It's easy to wonder if He has forgotten us.

But will we only believe if things go well with us?

In such trials, I need to be reminded that God is faithful. Rock-solid. No matter what, He is loving. All that He does—how He acts—is an outpouring of his love. No matter if all that's happening around you is falling apart, no matter how hopeless it looks right now, no matter if you feel utterly alone, God is still with you. He still hears you. He can make beauty from the ashes (see Isaiah 61:1-3).

What we must decide is whether we will only follow him, love him, and believe in Him if all is well in our lives. Faith is most itself when we can't see with our eyes. When life gets hard, when we can't find the answers, and when our prayers seem to be unanswered.

Trials have the hidden potential to help us see properly. When the superfluous falls away, the things that matter most crystalize. We realize the degree to which we trust the one who can fully be trusted with everything. We learn our God is the one who can lift us up and can help us to walk through the darkness. We relearn that he is fully faithful.

Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." It appears that God's word, the Bible, can help to enlighten the darkness and help us find our way. It makes sense that this spiritual practice, taken up regularly, will remove doubt, provide hope and encouragement, and bolster our faith.

If you're in the dark right now, take up the lamp of God's word. Read it and be reminded of his faithfulness, his love for you, and how, time and time again, he rescues. Notice how the darkness is transformed by the light of his word, even if your circumstances are not. Note how his word stirs up heavenly hope, peace, and joy to dispel the darkness within. Watch and see how the darkness of doubt is illuminated enough for you to take the next step in faith.

You don't need to see the entire path; the journey is taken one step at a time with your hand encircled by God’s.

……………………

1. When was the last time you sat still and soaked up God's words?
2. Set aside time each day this week to read the Bible to be filled with God's promises and reminders of his faithfulness

About the author; Melanie Stevenson
Born in England, Melanie has never lost her love of British tea and gardens. Her family immigrated to Canada when she was five years old and settled in southern Ontario. Years later, she entered the University of Waterloo as an English major and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Growing up, Melanie was passionate about reading, writing, and drawing. She wrote her first novel at age twelve. Since becoming a Christian at age eighteen, she has filled countless journal pages with prayers which became the inspiration behind her devotionals.

One More Tomorrow (September 2019) is Melanie’s debut novel (the first line of which was conceived in an airport terminal) and won Best Romance at the 2020 Word Guild Awards. Her second book, Soul Focus – Trials (November 2019), is a selection of devotionals written over a span of ten years. Melanie was the winner of Best New Canadian Author at the 2020 Word Guild Awards, and received runner up for Best New Manuscript at the 2021 Word Guild Awards.

Click HERE to visit Melanie’s website.