Overcoming Doubt: A Guide to Living in Belief

In today's fast-paced world, it's not uncommon to find ourselves grappling with feelings of doubt, worry, and fear. These emotions can be overwhelming and paralyzing, hindering us from living our lives to the fullest. Perhaps you wonder if you’re good enough to get the job you applied for, or you question your spouse’s love for you. Or maybe you doubt your ability to raise children who will grow up to be sincere Christ-followers. But what if there is a way to overcome doubt and embrace a fearless way of living in belief? Would you like to learn how?

The Origen of Doubt

It all began on a typically gorgeous day in the Garden of Eden. Adam had been hard at work naming all the interesting creatures the Lord God brought to him. “Hmm, that’s an unusual one. Look at that cute little pouch thingy. I think I’ll call it a Kangaroo.” (Only he didn’t say it in English. I like to think maybe it was Hebrew, but it was whatever language the Lord God had taught him at creation.) He was pretty excited that God had finally given him a partner. All the critters he had seen were male and female, so when he had awakened to find a lovely female counterpart, he was stoked!

It seems that Adam and Eve are contentedly enjoying their fellowship there in the garden with the Almighty who created them. The text of Genesis 3:8 indicates that they were used to spending time, probably in the cool of the evening, walking and talking with their Maker. So far nothing has come between them, and they are existing in a state of perfect belief.

God has given them some guidelines to follow. He has made it clear that they are to enjoy everything He has made. However, He has told them not to eat from the one tree in the middle of the garden, referring to it as the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.” So far, so good. They’ve had a period of perfect obedience and belief.

That lasts until the moment that Satan introduces doubt. He starts in on Eve: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Thus, he begins his attack by deliberately distorting what God had said and introducing uncertainty. I have to wonder where Adam was. Perhaps he was exhausted from naming the animals. Or maybe Eve had just wandered off alone, getting a little too close to the forbidden tree out of curiosity. However, it is also very possible that he was right there with her, but he just kept quiet. When Eve clarifies her understanding of what God actually had said, she is already confused and perhaps beginning to doubt God’s goodness. Confusion is one of Satan’s favorite tools. If he can lead us into confusion, that opens the door to doubt. She adds to what God has commanded when she says, “You shall not eat of it or touch it…” (Genesis 3:2) It is as if her view of God has shifted from seeing Him as a loving, benevolent Creator, to seeing Him as an overly strict taskmaster.

Satan scoffs at this notion, telling Eve, “You surely shall not die!” He then goes on to accuse God of withholding something good and desirable from Adam and Eve as he proceeds to say, “God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (v.4) Eve is already primed to disobey because the seed of doubt that she allowed to take root in her mind was beginning to sprout. Doubt is simply a lack of trust, which in its most basic form, is unbelief. By planting that one seed of doubt in her mind when Satan caused her to experience uncertainty about God’s command, he began a process of questioning God that has plagued mankind ever since.

It was her initial doubt that led Eve to decide to purposefully disobey God. Her act of taking the fruit was essentially an act of unbelief. She did not at that moment trust that God truly had her best interests at heart; rather, she worried that He might be withholding something good from her. She doubted his goodness, so she chose to act on her unbelief.

Overcoming Doubt is Possible with a Little Help

At its root, all doubt is a lack of belief in God's goodness. The key to living free from doubt lies in understanding and embracing God's design for us. As we spend time in His Word and in prayer, our faith grows. Doubt and faith cannot coexist. Therefore, anything we can do to increase our faith will decrease our doubt. By recognizing that we are perfectly created and uniquely equipped by God to handle whatever comes our way, we can approach life with a newfound sense of courage.

When we find ourselves struggling with doubt, we should respond like the father who brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus in Mark 9:24: "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" This is a prayer that God will always answer. When you pour out your heart to God, honestly sharing your struggles, He will replace the doubt, worry, and fear with His perfect peace.

What circumstances lead you to struggle with doubt? How have you typically handled it? What will you do differently the next time that doubts assail you? Please let me know in the comments!