Doubt is the driving force behind many of our weaknesses and failures in our lives on a daily basis. It strips us of our confidence and boldness to live and speak for Christ. Doubt is the fuel that propels lack of faith and the haunting spectre of fear that often follows our footsteps along the narrow road to heaven.

What is at the basis of it? The weakness of our flesh cannot be over-estimated and we buckle at the thought of other people rejecting us or sidelining us from the social group. We know we cannot stand alone, and need approval and validation from our social set.

The weakness of our faith stems from our lack of understanding and failure to grasp the love of God, demonstrated on the cross of Christ, and what exactly was accomplished there. We do not look at what we have been saved from or to. Our value as human beings, bought with that precious blood of Christ, is incalculable and the efficacy of that blood, is sufficient for everything. He alone gives the power to believe and keep believing in His glorious name.

All power belongs to Christ Jesus, so why the doubt? We need to confess our failure and find forgiveness again at the cross. We must enter the secret place and earnestly seek the Lord and surrender all to Him. Without Him I can do nothing. With Him, I can conquer all that opposes and oppressed my spiritual walk and witness.

So why linger? Maybe our prayer is “not yet..” maybe we can see the complete surrender that this will require, is not my cup of tea. I don’t want to be different, or to be so separate from friends, and I want the Kudos of being successful is in this world, rather than God’s kingdom. The fact that many churches are emptying is no accident. We all have personal responsibility for our walk with God and sincere character before people. We all affect each other. Fear spreads among humans, as we indulge in worldly attitudes and ignore God’s word.

So fear is the output. The fear of others, being unpopular, loosing what I think I own and the “right” to self-determination will shut me down. So the greatest sin? Unbelief…

Hebrews 11:6 NIV
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Check out the whole chapter of Hebrews 11. It is surprising what God counts as faith and who or what He rejects. No one who gave everything to God, ever lost out in any way. It is better to have fellowship with the Father, Jesus the Saviour and the Holy Spirit than to have the whole world and everything in it, but loose Him…