Tag Archives: is god real

September 3, 2026 · 5:30 AM

Dealing With Doubt

Doubt is one of those things that we don’t really talk about when we go through it. The thoughts come in, we try to dismiss them away, but sometimes they linger. If you grew up in church and come from a family of generational Christians it’s natural for the enemy to try to plant seeds of doubt in your mind, especially after a tragic event of death of a close family member. We don’t talk about it because of the way we were raised, but if those thoughts linger, they will begin to show up in our actions. The good news is that when we go through periods of doubt, research shows that it gives us a chance to strengthen our relationship with Jesus and to let our roots grow deeper into Him. Doubt often produces a stronger faith. The Faith we talked about our whole life becomes real when we experience God intervene in our life and reveal Himself to us.

In John 20, Jesus had resurrected from the dead. Peter and John had been to the empty tomb, but Mary Magdalene saw Him. Doubt filled their minds I’m sure, but Jesus appeared to all of them that night with the exception of Thomas. He wasn’t in the room. When they tried to tell him their experience, he didn’t believe and famously said, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side” (verse 25 NLT). We’ve nicknamed him and shamed him by calling him Doubting Thomas, but the truth is we all doubt at times and need God to reveal Himself to us in a real way. We all look for those moments we can look back on and say, “I know that was God!”

In Psalm 94:19 David says, “When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.” Even King David, who slayed a giant, experienced doubts but he always went back to God’s Word and found comfort in God. Romans 10:17 reminds us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. When doubts arise, read the Bible, go to the Lord in honest prayer and let another Christian you know and trust pray with you. We all experience periods and moments of doubt. Let them drive you to know God more and to have that moment where you place your finger in His hands and put your hand in side so to speak. He is willing to let you experience it to grow your faith. Don’t let doubt chase you away. Use it to grow deeper in your relationship with Him.

Photo by Lisa van Vliet on Unsplash

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

Finding God

Have you ever had to find your way around in the dark? Even if you’re in a familiar place, when the electricity goes out, you still bump into things. When it’s pitch black, and you can’t see your hand in front of your face, you have to feel your way around so you don’t get hurt or break anything. I usually do the zombie walk. You know the one where your hands are out front of you. I’m hoping that I feel something familiar and can follow it to my destination. I know I’m not far away, but there are obstacles along my path.

This world is a dark place, but you and I have been called to be light like a city set on a hill that can’t be hidden. Even though this world is familiar to all of us who live on it, many are wandering around it in spiritual darkness. Some choose to stay where they are, while others are feeling their way around. It’s up to us to help them find their way to God. We are the ones who are to lead them to their destination. God is not far from any one of us.

That was Paul’s message to the Greeks. They were a people who were feeling around looking for God, but in the process created many gods. Paul saw their longing to find the one true God and spoke to them in Acts 17:27. He said, “His (God’s) purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him – though He is not far from any one of us” (NLT). Man has always had a need to look beyond himself to find God.

Even today, according to the Washington Post, more than 8 in 10 people worldwide worship a god. That’s because God created all of us with a desire to search beyond ourselves for significance and purpose. As Christians, we’ve got to step out of our churches, our homes and places of comfort to be the light God has called us to be so we can help people who are feeling their way around find God. He is not far from any of us. We just have to be willing to be used in helping the lost find Him.

You Don’t Have To Be Lonely

Some coworkers and I were talking about all the online dating sites. There are ones dedicated to Christians, black people, those looking to get married, those who are already married and even one for farmers. The last one mentioned has most people thinking it’s a joke. The commercials are very low budget and goofy, but their jingle is catchy. It says, “You don’t have to be lonely at farmers only dot com.” While their commercials are notoriously bad, their slogan resonates with so many. “You don’t have to be lonely.”

In today’s world, we are connected more than ever, but somehow feel alone. Whether you’re single, dating, engaged or married, you’re still susceptible to feeling lonely. Since creation, God has been calling out to us telling us we are not alone. He has tried to grab our attention in each sunset and sunrise. He has called to us in the beauty of nature. He paints us a picture each night with the stars. He calls to us with each wave that crashes on the shore, “I’m here. You are not alone.” He has tried to let us know since we were born that we are loved, but we ignore His signs.

We try to fill that loneliness with imperfect relationships, sports, exercise, addictions, online gaming and the Internet. None of it really satisfies us, but we keep trying to fill that void. There is something in each one of us that desires companionship. God placed it in us. His desire is that He would fill that void in each of our lives. When humanity ignored Him long enough, He became one of us so that we would listen to Him. On His mission here, He told us how much He loved us and that we weren’t alone. In fact, one of the very last things He told us was that He would be with us always.

In the last verse in Matthew 28, Jesus’ last words were, “And you can be sure of this: I am with you always.” He knew that we would feel lonely and wanted to encourage us that we would never be alone. He wanted us to know that even though He was taking His place back in Heaven, He would still be here to guide us and to comfort us. He has no desire that any of us would ever feel alone. Hebrews 13:5 reiterates what God told Joshua in the Old Testament. He said, “I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake you nor let you down or relax my hold on you (AMP).” He was emphatic that He will not leave you so that you would know you are not alone.

What things have you put into your life to try to keep from feeling lonely? In what ways are you ignoring God’s voice calling out to you that you aren’t alone? What can you do today to start recognizing His presence in your life? The jingle to that commercial is right: you don’t have to be lonely. You have a God who desperately loves you and wants you to know that He is with you in whatever stage of life you’re in. When He is in His place in your life, everything else will fall into its place. He has not left you alone. He is with you all the days of your life. Will you recognize Him and let Him fill that void?

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