Doubt: The Enemy of Hope

Doubt can be a power, deceptively crippling force in our lives. When we find ourselves in the middle of a fight, in the middle of a difficult and trying time, we can so easily allow doubt to creep into our mind. Doubt can be comforting to us in a way as we allow it to provide an escape for us. It delays the cross of the matter for us, it gives us a chance to loosen our grip in the line we have to hold tight. We allow our doubt to be expressed so we can gain sympathy from others. We don't want to press in to get a word from the Lord so we use doubt to get others to give us encouragement and give us a word, but when we get it, there is something empty about it like Saul's armor on David. We find their word doesn't fit and doesn't hold the power we thought it would. God will and can give us powerful words from others, but they will not come through our doubting place. Doubt will take our focus off of the Lord and refocus us on our self. When we focus on our self there is no hope because God is our only source of deliverance. Doubt positions us to expect failure to come, but hope and trust in the Lord puts us in a place of waiting and expectation that the appointed time of deliverance will come. Hope is the path that leads us through the suffering. Though the difficulties be all around us, our eyes are fixed on Jesus. I love the old hymn that says "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name." - Amen

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