If you read Luke 24, when the disciples were told that Jesus had risen from the dead, they reacted the way many do today - they didn't believe it. I need to constantly remind myself of this when I have moments of doubt. We talk about "doubting Thomas," but all the disciples doubted. Thomas doubted until He saw the resurrected Jesus, just like the other disciples did. They just saw Him first
Their Rabbi had told them time and time again that He would rise from the grave. They just couldn't conceive of it. In retrospect, it seems outrageously dense of them not to understand the words. They were NOT spoken in a parable, like most of Jesus' teachings, but straight truth - yet their finite brains rejected it. Maybe they thought this WAS a parable, and no one dared ask Him for the deeper meaning, who knows?
But we do know one thing - Jesus didn't reject His disciples because of their doubt. He showed Himself to Mary, and asked Mary to tell the disciples and Peter that He had risen. They failed to have faith in Him. He finally gave them what they needed in order to believe. But we who believe by faith today, without seeing Him - is our faith stronger than the disciples' faith was? Jesus told Thomas, "You believe because you see Me. But blessed are those who believe without seeing."
Jesus was talking about me and you. Personally, I'd love to see Him, to hug Him, to kneel at His feet. I know I will see Him when I go home; and I've seen more than most, for which I'm grateful.
But Jesus WAS alive - even in their doubts. He IS alive even in our doubts. And He doesn't reject us for our doubts. He understands. Even His cousin John, who saw the Spirit descend on Jesus like a dove, doubted when he was wasting away in jail. Hard times cause doubts. Can we imagine what John must have gone through, to doubt the One that he had identified first?
But faith comes in stages. We go from faith to faith. When we get our faith strengthens in one area, we find our faith challenged in another area. It is not a one-time impartment. It is a series of processes. You may be in the middle of a challenge, but let it strengthen your faith.
Keep magnifying Jesus, even when you don't feel it. ESPECIALLY when you don't feel it. It's easy to worship and praise when you have that excitement in your heart. When you feel down, depressed, alone, and abandoned, use your will to WORSHIP ANYWAY. PRAISE ANYWAY. Even through tears, even through anger.
This kind of worship pleases God the most. It's when you trust Him despite the circumstances, when you don't feel it, that you show that your faith is in your God, not in your feelings.
This is called Resurrection Faith. It causes you to rise up and keep on loving, trusting, hoping, even through circumstances; through life's ups and downs. Go ahead and express those doubts to God in prayer. Then worship anyway, praise anyway. This will open up "aha moments."
It's worth pressing through ,and holding on during the process. I have major depression. Some days, it takes monumental effort to even get out of bed. I've been trying to fold a load of clothes for 6 hours at this point. I just can't do it. But God is to be praised. I will praise Him no matter what. I will worship Him no matter what. He will pull me out of this.
Even the powers of hell cannot separate me from the love of Jesus. With all the things I struggle with, I will keep trusting. I will keep working this faith out with fear and trembling. I will try to hear His voice, as He calls me out of my circumstances, and into His arms. HE IS ALIVE - is He alive in you?
Their Rabbi had told them time and time again that He would rise from the grave. They just couldn't conceive of it. In retrospect, it seems outrageously dense of them not to understand the words. They were NOT spoken in a parable, like most of Jesus' teachings, but straight truth - yet their finite brains rejected it. Maybe they thought this WAS a parable, and no one dared ask Him for the deeper meaning, who knows?
But we do know one thing - Jesus didn't reject His disciples because of their doubt. He showed Himself to Mary, and asked Mary to tell the disciples and Peter that He had risen. They failed to have faith in Him. He finally gave them what they needed in order to believe. But we who believe by faith today, without seeing Him - is our faith stronger than the disciples' faith was? Jesus told Thomas, "You believe because you see Me. But blessed are those who believe without seeing."
Jesus was talking about me and you. Personally, I'd love to see Him, to hug Him, to kneel at His feet. I know I will see Him when I go home; and I've seen more than most, for which I'm grateful.
But Jesus WAS alive - even in their doubts. He IS alive even in our doubts. And He doesn't reject us for our doubts. He understands. Even His cousin John, who saw the Spirit descend on Jesus like a dove, doubted when he was wasting away in jail. Hard times cause doubts. Can we imagine what John must have gone through, to doubt the One that he had identified first?
But faith comes in stages. We go from faith to faith. When we get our faith strengthens in one area, we find our faith challenged in another area. It is not a one-time impartment. It is a series of processes. You may be in the middle of a challenge, but let it strengthen your faith.
Keep magnifying Jesus, even when you don't feel it. ESPECIALLY when you don't feel it. It's easy to worship and praise when you have that excitement in your heart. When you feel down, depressed, alone, and abandoned, use your will to WORSHIP ANYWAY. PRAISE ANYWAY. Even through tears, even through anger.
This kind of worship pleases God the most. It's when you trust Him despite the circumstances, when you don't feel it, that you show that your faith is in your God, not in your feelings.
This is called Resurrection Faith. It causes you to rise up and keep on loving, trusting, hoping, even through circumstances; through life's ups and downs. Go ahead and express those doubts to God in prayer. Then worship anyway, praise anyway. This will open up "aha moments."
It's worth pressing through ,and holding on during the process. I have major depression. Some days, it takes monumental effort to even get out of bed. I've been trying to fold a load of clothes for 6 hours at this point. I just can't do it. But God is to be praised. I will praise Him no matter what. I will worship Him no matter what. He will pull me out of this.
Even the powers of hell cannot separate me from the love of Jesus. With all the things I struggle with, I will keep trusting. I will keep working this faith out with fear and trembling. I will try to hear His voice, as He calls me out of my circumstances, and into His arms. HE IS ALIVE - is He alive in you?