Living in the Shadow of Doubt
“Pardon me, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?” Judges 6:13
Oh my, if I had a nickel for every time I have thought like Gideon, I would be one rich woman! Right?! Maybe you can relate!
We ALL encounter seasons of doubt. We all face trials and tribulations that make our heads spin and cause us to wonder when or where did I go wrong? Where, oh where, are you in this God? If I see what I see why doesn’t he (or she or they) see what I see? How can you be you Lord, and be so different to each of us? How can so many things be so very difficult if you love me so much?
I have been working through the devotional book written by my sweet friend Renee Swope called A Confident Heart, 60 Days to Stop Doubting Yourself. Renee gave me the book back in December but I have been in such a life frenzy over the past 2 months I had forgotten I even had it. My office bookshelf was one of the last move tasks I completed. The Lord reminded me of the book last week as I have been wallowing in doubt through a few tough descions. I ran to take hold of it and all the nuggets I could glean from Renee’s words.
WOW! I am on Chapter 3 and totally captivated.
You see, yet again, I am living in a season of “a shadow of doubt”. It is not the first time and I “doubt” it will be the last.
As I studied the words of Gideon this morning from The Confident Heart, I re-read his journey in the Bible through the shadow of doubt. I was reminded of God’s faithfulness and His ever present desire to bless and love on His sons and daughters.
I was reminded that WE WIN! YEP! regardless of what things look like right now–WE WIN!
I was reminded that God’s plan IS FOR OUR INDIVIDUAL and personal growth in Him and the the majority of the time, the answer we are looking for is–US!
God longs for our connection.
He desires for us to “pray like we’ve never prayed before”.
His plan has Kingdom reach and RARELY looks the way we create it in our minds eye.
As I was mulling this over this morning the idea of “shadows” stuck in my mind. I was thinking about the change of seasons we are in right now and how shadows get shorter in the Spring and Summer. I remembered my elementary science (or maybe it was my KIDS science!) and remembered that our shadow is shorter in the summer and taller in the winter is because of position of the sun , the higher the sun in the sky the shorter your shadow will be.
My prayer is that I allow God’s position in my life ALWAYS makes HIS SHADOW, His plans, His presence, His purposes–taller and bigger than my own.
Get thee behind me doubt and unbelief, God is on my side!
I hope you will stop by Renee’s website and tell her I sent you! You will love her and love her heart, just like I do.
Goodness! I am reading through my feedly feed and about 4 out of the last 6 posts have been on trials and triumphs and running the race and how He will take all of it and redeem it, gather up the pieces, waste nothing.
Thanks for being part of the bigger lesson that God is trying to teach ME today!!
Hugs,
Dori
Good Monday morning Dori, so nice to hear from you! God does tend to keep HIS message in front of us one way or another doesn’t He?
My prayers and blessings to you dear sister,
pat
Allow me to add my voice to the chorus of women whose hearts have been touched deeply by the words of Renee Swope. I read “A Confident Heart” a couple of years ago, and recently finished the devotional. She’s anointed, that Jesus-sister.
I agree Jennifer–she is anointed and very, very precious in God’s Kingdom!
Just like you!!
Hugs,
Pat
I have not read Renee’s book, but it sounds like a worthy read. I’ll have to put it on my list to purchase. I love this post, Pat, because it is so real. I have had more than a few women ask me if I ever doubt my faith, or doubt this or that about the Christian life. I think all too often in the Christian ranks, we give the impression that if you doubt, you are a less-than Christian. NOT! We all doubt and God understand that we all doubt. That is why He gave us His Word and the Holy Spirit. A good word indeed.