“Why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:31 (NIV)
Here are seven different varieties of doubt, and in each case a prescription in the form of a spiritual discipline, which, if practiced regularly, will help address the problem.
1. Defective Memory (doubts that arise from forgetting the goodness of God)
Prescription: the discipline of thanksgiving.
2. Distorted Pictures (doubts that arise from a distorted view of God)
Prescription: the discipline of biblical meditation; filling your mind with the words God uses to describe Himself.
3. Defective Foundations (doubts that arise from a lack of clear evidence for the Christian faith)
God has chosen to give us the evidence on which faith is based in the Scriptures.
Prescription: the discipline of study.
4. Divided Commitment (doubts that arise from being undecided about following Christ)
God calls you to make a decisive commitment to Christ.
Prescription: the discipline of obedience.
5. Diminished Growth (doubts that arise from faith that is rarely used)
God calls us to use our faith, which doesn’t happen automatically. Faith has to be applied in difficult situations.
Prescription: the discipline of service.
6. Disappointed Hopes (doubts that arise from shattered dreams and a broken heart)
When life is not as we would want it to be, God calls us to pour out the pain of our souls to Him.
Prescription: the discipline of honest confession.
7. Destructive Fears (doubts that arise from the ‘what ifs’ of life)
God calls us to stop looking at our problems and keep our focus on Jesus Christ.
Prescription: the discipline of worship.
Which type of doubt do you struggle with the most? What step could you take to address it?
