Why is Christianity so difficult? You may have asked yourself this question before. If God is good why do bad things happen to good people? I think everybody has asked that question before. If you’re a human you tend to doubt things.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” – Hebrews 11:1
Doubt is difficult to identify though. Doubt can disguise itself as common sense, ingenuity, pure intelligence. We doubt things because we don’t trust them. But trust is defined as reliable, unfailing, strong.
Sometimes we doubt in people’s ability to do things but in our minds, we justify it as our common sense, our knowing better. Nobody sits in a chair fearfully doubting in its ability to hold them. Why? Because they trust it’s reliability and strength.
If that’s the case, then why do we doubt God? Has God failed you? Has God proven to be unreliable or incapable to provide for you or loving you unconditionally like he promised He would? I have in my room a wall full of my favorite bible verses on sticky notes. Why?
Because I constantly needed to be reminded of God’s love and power. I constantly need to be reminded of how good God is and how sovereign He is. But why the sticky notes? Because I doubt God. Maybe you don’t doubt God as much as me, maybe you doubt Him more. For me, it’s every day.
I wake up and pray that God would use me that day. I pray that I would trust Him and love Him unconditionally. But every single day I fail, some days more than others.
” But then it hit me, the source of my doubt was not my lack of trust in God, but rather my trust in myself. You see you can’t have it both ways. You can’t trust in God AND trust in yourself at the same time. My success in ANYTHING is not dependant on myself.
My grades, my relationships with others, my success as an employee is entirely dependant on Christ. I began to think about Peter and his encounter with Jesus on the sea of Galilee. Peter got out of the boat and walked on water, accomplishing the one thing no human being (other than Jesus) has ever done.
What was Peter focused on when he stepped out of the boat? Jesus. His gaze was on Jesus. Then the instant he took his eyes off of Jesus he began to sink. The instant Peter began to trust in himself to walk on the water was the same instant he lost faith in Jesus’ ability to keep him above water.
Peter couldn’t trust his own ability to walk on water while also trusting in Christ’s ability to keep him above water.
I often begin to think that God might fail me. God might fail me and not provide for my needs. God might fail me and I won’t get what I want. (Sounds kinda stupid doesn’t it? But we actually think that way). The truth is we fail to trust God to deliver on promises that he promised to those who love and trust Him.
So we get frustrated, we cry out to God, angry and annoyed that He didn’t bless us like He promised. But He said that he would bless those who trusted Him.
One of the verses I’ve been memorizing and meditating on is Psalms 107:1 which says this: “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. ” I love the verse because it lacks contingency. ” Psalms says that God is good, Proverbs says that God provides safety, but this verse has a contingency.
Yes, God is safe, but you have to trust Christ to provide that safety. Peter was safe while walking across the sea of galilee when he was trusting in Christ for his safety. The reason he began to “fall out of safety” is because he began to trust himself.
One of my all-time favorite verses and one of which is on my wall is Jeremiah 17:5 and 7. (SIDE NOTE: every verse mentioned in this blog post has been from my wall) Verses 5 and 7 in Jeremiah 17 talk about trusting in God and how God blesses those who trust in Him.
(5) Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. ” Isn’t that powerful? God says: I’ll bless you, I’ll prosper you, but all you gotta do is trust me.
I want to make one more point before I finish. God’s goodness has no contingencies. God is not only good when life seems to be working out and God is still good while life makes no sense. God is always good & God is only good. I oftentimes begin to doubt in God’s love and power when I feel as if He isn’t being good.
When I’m struggling and God seems far away is a prime example of feeling neglected by God’s goodness. You lose your job? God is good. A close friend or family member gets cancer? God is still good. ” The first thing that comes to mind when I read this verse is Joseph and his brothers.
After being thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, promoted, demoted over and over again, framed about sleeping with Potiphar’s wife, thrown into prison, and then promoted into the king’s palace to #2 in the kingdom. Joseph saw it all and experienced it all.
” Joseph saw God’s goodness and provision for Joseph’s people but God used Joseph because Joseph remained faithful and trusting in God’s sovereignty.
Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Thanks for reading,