Our doubts are traitors. We know we should be victorious; yet we lose courage before the battle gets under way.
We can use doubt to fuel our faith or we can allow those planted seeds to sabotage our destiny. Which battle do you want to fight?
The battles we encounter can be anything in life from getting married, finishing school, to finding a job or starting a business.
But, our doubts can be debilitating and distracting. One minute we’re sure and the next our imagination runs wild in the wrong direction.
Doubt can be empowering and remind us of why we need to lean on God in valleys of difficulty and stress because He has it all worked out in our future.
There are times in our lives when we take minor and major detours based upon doubts that we allow to grow up into full blown unproductive seasons and stagnation.
It can be that subtle doubt or that in your face doubt that it just won’t work. So you tell yourself “It worked for her because she got lucky, but it won’t work for me.”
Focus mirrors progress. When we are focused on our goals and dreams, life feels like we are moving forward. We are empowered when we identify our purpose and how we can positively impact others. Then…life gets in the way.
Our scene fades to black. The darkness settles and how quickly we forget what we saw so clearly in the light.
A small voice echoes in the background: Are you sure this is your purpose? Do you really think you can be successful doing this? Does he really love the likes of you? Did God really say ______?
The seeds of doubt can be planted by our biggest critic: us. Or they are planted by the devil himself. His main mission in life is to derail us. He cleverly uses our own doubts so we won’t realize he’s behind it. He pulled a fast one on Adam and Eve and look what happened to them!
We aren’t falling for it this time devil. We have techniques to maintain focus as we move towards God’s purpose for our lives.
Here are three ways I stay on track and keep God first, even when I have doubts…
1. Write Down Answered Prayers & Visions
The goal is to remember in the darkness what God showed you in the light.
God is not a God of confusion. He answers prayers. Philippians 4:6 says be anxious for nothing and in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. When He answers, document it.
Use a journal or Evernote to keep track of answered prayers. If He gives you a vision, it’ll be clear enough for you to remember. Write it down.
2. Download a Sermon App
The devil constantly presents me with doubts just as often as I drum up my own self-doubt: you’re not good enough, you didn’t go to school for writing or there are much better writers than you…your piece won’t get selected.
I already know these wild thoughts are coming my way. I need to have on my armor to fight and to win.
There’s an app for that! Your church may have an app or maybe you’ve visited a church and enjoyed the service. Download it. They will feed your spirit and enrich your soul just when you need it the most.
By the grace of God, every morning I am reminded of why I’m on this writing journey when I listen to a sermon. Christ moves me to action. I need to keep my eyes on Him.
3. Track the Wins
Every month, I track my wins for one reason if nothing else, when the lights go out; I want it to be impossible to forget what God revealed to me in the light.
Seeing my wins come to life on a white board does wonders for my spirit. I can see the wins sprawled in my own penmanship.
For example: Glory be to God because I got that raise, I got my best friend down the aisle, I found clients willing to pay me for my skills and my birthday weekend was a success.
I document whatever winning means to me. I’ve been tracking them month after month for the last year and a half. The goal is to remember that you’re already winning.
Doubt was manufactured by the devil to strike fear in our hearts. But then again, perhaps God allowed for doubt to remain so we would acknowledge that we can’t do it alone. We don’t have to do everything; God just wants us to do our part.
Moses didn’t have to part the Red Sea; he just had to take the first step. Joshua didn’t have to knock the walls down at Jericho, he just needed to march.
So when the doubts come, and we know they will, we need to remember the fight is fixed.
Let us find courage to take a single step even when we are in the valley of doubt so we may find victory on the mountain of faith.
