Self-doubt is No Problem to God

“I don’t doubt God, I just doubt myself.” Have you ever had that thought? God is great, but you’re not sure you can live up to the expectations required to be right with Him. You know you’ll fall, because you have so many times before. Down in the dumps you go.

In this case, let’s fight failure with failure. By that I mean, don’t think too highly of yourself. Reduce your self-expectations. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly. (Rom. 12:3a)

Soberly means moderately. You’re not that good, and you’re not that bad. You are clay. Truly. You were taken from the dust, and to the dust you will go. But for the grace of God, that’s about all.

The fact that you don’t think too highly of your abilities to stay right with God is better than being proud of the abilities you do have. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him. (Prov. 26:12)

If nothing else, this book will teach you that being down on yourself is the first step in looking up to a great big God who loves to lift up people like you. If you are doubting yourself, you are half way to being on top of the mountain. But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. (James 4:6 AV)

The difference is, you need to take your focus off your inabilities and turn it to God, who will catch you when you fall. He forgives. He moves on. Move on with Him.

Resist the temptation to go deep within yourself to “figure yourself out.” A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. (Prov. 18:2)

What you need to know is, yes, you will likely fail. Even the apostle Paul grappled with that. He knew the right thing to do, but he found something inside that didn’t want to do it. Instead, he found himself doing the very thing he knew was wrong. That bugged him. (Read Rom. 7)

Here’s Paul’s conclusion about his failings: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Rom. 8:1-2)

Your goal now is not to discover and trust your heart, but to discover and trust God’s. Lay down your self-expectations and follow after God.

Remember, the sparky things you do to lift yourself up amounts to “bodily exercise,” which profits little. But godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. (1 Tim 4:8) The only work you need to do is work on your communication with God. Start listening to Him in His word, and start talking to Him in prayer.