FCA 11/7

Hello sweet people! I hope your week is off to an incredible start and that you are enjoying every moment we have left as we come closer to the end of the semester. Last Thursday, we heard from David Sons. David spoke about doubt and, I don't know about you, but the message really resonated with me in this season of life. College is an interesting time where a lot of big changes surround you. These changes and this uncertainty can certainly lead to doubt no matter how strong you may feel outside of that struggle.

"A sincere faith in Christ is sufficient to persevere in seasons of doubt, depression, and dryness." I think this is a good reminder that, like I said earlier, a strong faith does not prevent you from struggling with issues like doubt but it helps you push through it and push toward the Lord.

The scripture David used to teach about seasons of doubt was Matthew 11:2-6, the passage in which John questions if Jesus is "the one that is to come." From this passage, David brought three questions to answer in order to learn how to handle doubtful moments and seasons in our lives.

1. Where does John's question come from?

- John had what we would think is a life that would never doubt. He literally heard the Lord speak from the heavens.

- What John's experience with doubt can tell us is that previous religious experience is often not enough to expel spiritual doubt -- he lived alongside Jesus and he still questioned.

- The root of John's question comes from unmet or unrealized expectations. God will not be boxed in by what we desire and I think this point is especially good at connecting John's question to our lives.

- We often are disappointed and doubt God when He doesn't do exactly what we want Him to do, but as David said, "To worship a savior that always does what we expect Him to do is really just worshipping yourself."

2. What does Jesus' response to John tell us?

- Jesus responds with scripture from Isaiah

- Jesus shows John the Lord's faithfulness through the fulfillment of prophecies over 700 years later.

- By doing this, Jesus takes John's eyes off the present circumstance and onto the word of the Lord.

- When compared to the word, His works speak for themselves

- Jesus reminds John that it requires a measure of faith to decide whether or not you believe.

- This also serves as a reminder that we are saved by the object of our faith, not the quality of that faith -- hold on to your faith, even faith as small as a mustard seed, and the Lord will show you the way.

3. How should we think about and experience doubt?

- Think rightly about doubt.

- Doubt is not virtuous or damnable -- doubt is human.

- God wants to use doubt to help you arrive at the knowledge of truth.

- Abraham, for example, trusted what God said more than what his eyes could see and he believed.

- Be honest about doubt.

- Questions are normal, but take those questions to the Lord and let Him help you through the struggle.

- God is not afraid of your questions -- lay it at His feet and believe that He will help.

- Press on in faith.

- Don't allow your doubt to drive you away but to encourage you to lean into the Lord.

- Pray that the Lord will use your doubt to pull you closer to Him

David spoke to us about doubt. This message has really opened my eyes to the way that a faithful Christian experiences doubt and how to handle my own questions. I hope that you can use this as a resource when you are feeling doubtful or are questioning parts of the plan for your life. God has a plan and that plan is more incredible than any of us can even imagine.

Have such a good week my peeps! I hope you find encouragement and love throughout your week and that you push through whatever doubts you may be struggling with in the current season of life.