On my last Sabbath in Mauritius before moving to Australia on my own, Pastor Hensley Moorooven preached a beautiful and meaningful sermon that has stuck with me since I heard it that day in 2006. He talked about the Israelites in the desert and all that God had done for them in rescuing them from Egypt and their journey towards a new home. He asked an important question: “What do you do when you stand in front of a path that scares you?” I remember the knots in my stomach as I sat there in the church pew. I was on that very path. Unknowns, doubts, half-packed suitcases.
When I came face to face with doubt this I what I did:
When in doubt – look back.
Have raw, honest conversations with God (they are the best, I promise). I have told Him before (in a frustrated, pleading tone): “God, You’ve parted the Red Sea, stopped the sun, made an axe head float – how hard can this [insert whatever I’m struggling with at the time here] be?!”
When I have finished venting, I make myself a cup of my favourite hot drink and quietly reflect on ways and times God has been there in the past: getting me through assignments and exams during mental health challenges, helping me when moving countries and states, getting jobs, placing beautiful people in my life, unforgettable experiences like seeing Rafael Nadal play on Rod Laver Arena, finding the perfect plot of land where I’ve now built my house. Those are some of the big ways God has been present. There are many smaller, equally valuable ways too, which I am mindful not to take for granted.
Such hindsight can be a wonderful thing.
When in doubt – remember.
What has God done for you “yesterday”? I find writing by hand powerful. I recommend you try it: take a sheet of paper and start listing all the ways God has blessed you and intervened in your life. Chances are there will be more than one occasion. Also, try and notice the timing of God’s blessings — you might get goosebumps when you realise how awesome God is and how things have moved. Keep the list somewhere you are likely to see it often, maybe the fridge, a pinboard in your office or as a wallpaper on your phone.
To doubt is human. It is how we choose to handle doubtful situations, thoughts and questions that is crucial. May your past reassure you that God’s got your present and future.
When in doubt – surrender—to Him.
What do I do when I am in a situation that causes me to doubt? What do I do when I stand in front of a path that scares me? I remember the sermon I heard years ago. I look back to all the times God has been there for me in the past, I remember His blessings and I surrender all my doubts and fears to Him. I remind myself that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 (NIV).
WRITER: Jennifer Appadoo