Pray without doubting

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul wrote of his desire for men everywhere to pray ‘lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting’. 1Tim 2:8. James said in his letter to the early church that men seeking wisdom must ‘ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind’. He warned that such a man would receive nothing from the Lord because he was double-minded and unstable in all his ways. James 1:6-8. When Peter became frightened whilst walking on the water, Jesus rebuked him saying, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’. Matt 14:31. After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared in the midst of His startled disciples and asked, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?’. Luke 24:38.

We all know the story of ‘doubting Thomas’, who would not believe until he had seen the risen Lord with his own eyes and felt the nail prints with his fingers. After he was convinced, Jesus told Thomas that those who had believed without seeing were more blessed. We learn from this story that doubting is a choice. Thomas chose to doubt where others chose to believe. We must not assume that those who choose to have faith do it blindly, while those who doubt do so intellectually.

Paul said that we should pray without wrath or doubting. Prayer is a wonderful experience that brings us across the threshold of anger and doubt. Many whose hearts are cast down are actually angry. They may not show anger but there will be some issue or problem which is unresolved. Prayer will bring us to a point of resolution. It may not give us the answer we are looking for, but it will allow us to say that ‘all is well’. Of course, the circumstances of life will tell us that all is not well and doubts will arise in our hearts. Paul told the Philippians to be anxious for nothing but to make their requests known to God through prayer. He said the peace of God which surpassed all understanding would guard their hearts and minds. Phil 4:6, 7. We cannot touch the peace of God without prayer because prayer dispels our doubts.

Some people doubt at the most fundament level. They do not believe that God exists so they do not pray. But if we don’t pray we may never know He’s there; God cannot reveal Himself to us. Jesus said, ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you’. Matt 7:7. Why do some believe so passionately that the Lord is not there? Why don’t they knock on the door and see if someone opens? And of course, we know that the Lord also knocks. He says, ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me’. Rev 3:2

Cameron Playsted

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Feature Articles
June 2009

The love of God

Preparing the way

Unrestrained lips

Redeemed to be sons

As for me and my house

Sweet fellowship

Effective households

Freedom

Setting goals

Pray without doubting