Today let’s look at a few verses instructing us how to address doubt and faith. We’ll see what Jesus said, as well as Paul and James. By the end I hope you will identify areas in your life where doubt may have crept in – and see how to push it out and replace it with faith. If you search for antonyms of doubt, one of the results you’ll find is faith.
It’s always a good idea to start with Jesus. Let’s see what He said in Mark 11:22-24:
And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” (Mark 11:22-24 emphasis mine)
Here we see that Jesus mentions both doubt and faith, as opposites, to ultimately get what you say & believe. I don’t plan to discuss here the idea of speaking to your mountains and believing for answered prayers. Rather, I want to show that faith in God is supposed to expel any doubt. Also notice that Jesus didn’t say doubt in your head, but He said doubt in your heart. You can have doubt in your head and still have faith in God. But the opposite is not true. Let your spirit guide your heart and your head will follow.
Next let’s look at what James said about doubt and faith. We will focus on the verses in James 1:5-7:
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, (James 1:5-7 emphasis mine)
Here is a direct contrast between faith and doubt. James writes that anyone lacking wisdom must ask God in faith and not in doubt. The word doubting means “divided in mind,” and represents uncertainty. It’s the same Greek word used in Mark 11:23 in the first section above. Therefore we must ask God with certainty and assurance that He will give us what we’ve asked for. Contrast that with the man described at the end, who is like water in the sea tossed around by the wind, and shouldn’t expect to receive anything from God.
Now we will look at two verses written by Paul: Hebrews 11:6 and Romans 14:23.
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6 emphasis mine)
But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin. (Romans 14:23 emphasis mine)
Here we encounter a more direct, even jarring, comparison between doubt and faith, extrapolated (or extended) out to offending God and sinning. Starting with Hebrews, Paul writes that we cannot please God without faith. In fact it’s impossible. Then he tells us why: whoever comes to God must believe that He is the true God and that He rewards people who seek Him. So we should expect that God will reward us when we come to Him. And we should expect rewards because God is truly God.
Finally Paul writes a blanket statement in Romans 14:23 that should make us sit up straight. In the previous verses of Romans 14 Paul was writing about food & drink choices that might be a stumbling block to other believers. But then he ends with a seemingly insignificant bombshell, “whatever is not from faith is sin.” “Whatever” in the Greek used here means every “thing.” If everything is not grounded in faith, then it is considered sin. We should definitely sit up straight and start exercising our faith. You only need faith the size of a mustard seed, but it needs to be used daily. Meditate on that concept today.
God is love. So above all else, let love be the beautiful prize for which you run (1 Corinthians 13:13 TPT). Jesus is Lord.