{Be Confident} Between Belief and Doubt

I imagine that I’m walking down a trail. Some wooded trail with hundreds of other people walking their own trails around me. None of us know exactly where the trails lead, but all we know is to walk them. And I’m trotting merrily along my way, waving at friends, sipping some coffee. And then suddenly the path runs out in front of me. I watch my friends continue on, some curving around corners and out of sight, some stopped ahead in the distance. And as I look down, not sure where to step to next, I’m left wondering where I go. Why my path doesn’t look the same as that person’s. Why it stopped so suddenly here.

Isn’t this just the way life is? Always looking at the lives of those around us, comparing, and wondering why we can’t have what they have. Why our trail stops here and theirs doesn’t. Wondering how in the world we will ever know where to step next.

I even have the amazing talent of simultaneously believing in God’s plan for my life and doubting it at the same time

I always want to know the who, what, when, and why of it all. And I’ll be honest, if something isn’t happening exactly how and when I would like it to be, I often go about worrying and letting it consume my thoughts. I’ll lie awake at night trying to come up with different solutions to the situation. I want God to spell it out for me or to just give me the desires of my heart right away.

But let’s just be honest. That’s not how God works, is it?

God even goes as far as to straight out tell us, “in this life you will have trouble.” You might find yourself in a tough situation at home. You may lose loved ones. People may hurt you. You may deal with sickness. Money may be tight. The right person for you may not come along quickly. You may deal with insecurities.

The important thing to remember is that God created no two paths the same. And he has gone before us and paved our path specifically for us. And each stop, turn, and bump in the road was put there for a reason. All designed to guide us to His unique plan for our lives. In that light, to wish for someone else’s path or to question our own is almost like telling God that we don’t have faith in His promises. And believe me, this girl needs that reminder every day!

I stumbled on this quote the other day —

“Somewhere between belief and doubt lies faith.”
– Jodi Picoult

Sometimes, we theoretically believe in the Lord’s promises. It’s easy to grow up hearing them and to know them by heart. But then when a situation arises. When our path comes to a screeching halt in front of us, we doubt that God will pull us out of the situation that we are in. We believe in Him, yet continue to doubt that He sees us and that He will point us in the right direction again.

But friends, I’m here to tell you. God is so faithful. And he sees you. And simply having faith in that is the largest part of being faithful in return.

What if when our path stops and we are left wondering where to go, instead of becoming overwhelmed and wanting to give up, that we remembered and truly believed in His promises? That we knew without a doubt that God lovingly and carefully designed this path for us, and that He wouldn’t let it end here?

I bet that we would look over to find that our path simply broke off and pointed in a different direction. And while it may be out of our comfort zone to leave our current path, we would faithfully follow. Trusting that when there is a turn, break, or bump in the road, that He has gone before us and knows what lies ahead.

And all of it leads to Him.

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” – Deuteronomy 31:8