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Pastor's Blog November 19, 2020
"Rejoicing in the Lord III"
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Last week we saw that, according to our friend Ellen, the most dangerous form of doubt we can adopt with respect to the Bible is distrusting the character of the God who has revealed himself to us in its pages.
This week we find Ellen honing in on that thought and how it can negatively impact our relationship with God. In "Steps to Christ," Ellen highlights what is the primary issue in our doubt and disobedience toward the Bible: when we doubt like this, we are really saying, "The Lord does not mean this [Bible promises of God's love and care] for me. Perhaps He loves others, but He does not love me" (84; 1977 edition).
This, of course, flies in the face of who God is, because God has already shown in the death of Jesus that he loves each of us supremely and with a motherly and fatherly affection (83-84)! "All this is harming your own soul," claims Ellen, because it "is inviting Satan's temptations," "strengthening in you the tendency to doubt" the goodness of God, and "it is grieving from you the ministering angels" who love you and want to help you rest in God's love (84). And yet, if this is how you really feel - if you truly struggle to believe that God loves you, yes YOU! - how do you stop thinking and feeling this way about God's love for you? Well, you don't, really; how you think and feel is how you think and feel, and there isn't a magic pill for that.
Nevertheless, the answer is not in changing yourself but in focusing on the true God and letting him deal with your thoughts and feelings. Instead of talking about your doubts, why not talk about the goodness and love of Jesus, who continually intercedes for you (84)? Rather than rehashing your trials and temptations, why not focus your attention on the joy and warmth of Jesus and speak about hopeful and encouraging subjects (84-85)? Why not spend time in "the religion of Jesus," because "His heart was a wellspring of life, and wherever He went He carried rest and peace, joy and gladness" (85)?
Friends, life is full of difficulties, hurts, and betrayals. Why not spend time trusting in Jesus, who replaces our difficulties, hurts, and betrayals with his joy, peace, and rest? If you're struggling to believe God loves you, I invite you to give your doubts to Jesus and let him resolve them for you.
(*) Steps to Christ, Chapter 13—Rejoicing in the Lord, 1977 edition
God Bless.
Pastor Nathaniel Gamble
