How do I stop doubting? (in prayer, or regarding the Gospel)

[AetheriusLamia]

I've studied for decades, and read all of the Bible multiple times, continue reading the Bible daily, and now I'm praying in accordance with Mark 11:24, Jesus telling us to 'believe that you have already received it'. Yet though I will to do this, thoughts occur in my brain involuntarily such as,

1. "You're just engaging in wishful thinking."
2. "This probably isn't going to happen."
3. "Your experience and observations of the world are better explained by atheism."
4. "Your petitions haven't been granted because God wants you to be 'Eastern Orthodox', or Mohammedan, or some other religion."

Although I try repudiating these thoughts as demons whispering to me, by recalling Sacred Scripture, by engaging in logcal argument, by prayer for the demons to be banished from me, and continue asking God to give me more faith and unwavering faith, the thoughts continue, and it appears to me I genuinely believe them - that when I die everything will be over, life done - because I am discouraged, downhearted, depressed, sad, rather than excited about being healed soon, rather than be happy that God is bringing about a greater good every moment I'm not healed, rather than be content knowing no matter what happens God will make it right.

What do you think? Is there some way to stop doubting? to be finally convinced the Gospel is true?

 

[Delvianna]

Those questions are whispers from Satan, so you are correct because this is exactly what he tries to do, to get you to move away from truth. What is the alternative? Live in sin? Believe in nothing? Go on and agree that this life is all there is, nothing matters and people can be as horrible as they want to because there's nothing after this?

It comes down to this. We can talk about scripture, we can discuss what God says but at the end of the day, everyone is accountable for themselves. So my point is, that you have to love truth so much that it makes you dig into the word, research the heck out of it and ask God to guide you while you do.

2 Thessalonians 2:10
"and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved."

Love the truth more than anything, seek it out with everything you have. YOU have to come to the conclusion that is it truth for you because just accepting my word or anyone else's isn't going to give you the solid foundation you need to learn and grow. So this comes down to, read the bible like no tomorrow. Research several topics, and ask God to guide you. I'm not saying you have to ignore Christians in helping, but I'm saying that your walk, is yours to walk and at the end of your life, account for. You can also research archeological evidence that backs up scripture, historical evidence of witnesses that were not Jewish or Christian, and even look into science in how its mathematically impossible that there was anything other than a creator. But dive in deep and keep going until those doubts get to a point where they don't even make sense.

 

[d taylor]

I've studied for decades, and read all of the Bible multiple times, continue reading the Bible daily, and now I'm praying in accordance with Mark 11:24, Jesus telling us to 'believe that you have already received it'. Yet though I will to do this, thoughts occur in my brain involuntarily such as,

1. "You're just engaging in wishful thinking."
2. "This probably isn't going to happen."
3. "Your experience and observations of the world are better explained by atheism."
4. "Your petitions haven't been granted because God wants you to be 'Eastern Orthodox', or Mohammedan, or some other religion."

Although I try repudiating these thoughts as demons whispering to me, by recalling Sacred Scripture, by engaging in logcal argument, by prayer for the demons to be banished from me, and continue asking God to give me more faith and unwavering faith, the thoughts continue, and it appears to me I genuinely believe them - that when I die everything will be over, life done - because I am discouraged, downhearted, depressed, sad, rather than excited about being healed soon, rather than be happy that God is bringing about a greater good every moment I'm not healed, rather than be content knowing no matter what happens God will make it right.

What do you think? Is there some way to stop doubting? to be finally convinced the Gospel is true?

-

​

J. Wilbur Chapman tells the following true story of how D.L. Moody used John 5:24 to help him gain assurance of salvation:

I (J. Wilbur Chapman) was studying for the ministry, and I heard that D.L. Moody was to preach in Chicago. I went to hear him. Finally I got into his after meeting. I shall never forget the thrill that went through me when he came and sat down beside me as an inquirer. He asked me if I was a Christian. I said, “Mr. Moody, I am not sure whether I am a Christian or not.’
He very kindly took his Bible and opened it to the fifth chapter of John, and the twenty-fourth verse, which reads as follows: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and beleiveth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.”

Suppose you had read it through for the first time, wouldn’t you think it was wonderful? I read it through, and he said, “Do you believe it?” I said, “Yes.” “Do you accept it?” I said, “Yes.” “Well, are you a Christian?”

“Mr. Moody, I sometimes think I am, and sometimes I am afraid I am not.”
He very kindly said, “Read it again.”

So I read it again, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and beleiveth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.”Then he said, “Do you believe it?” I said, “Yes.” “Do you receive Him?” I said, “Yes.” “Well,” he said, “are you a Christian?”

I just started to say over again that sometimes I was afraid I was not, when the only time in all the years I knew him and loved him, he was sharp with me. He turned on me with his eyes flashing and said, “See here, whom are you doubting?”

Then I saw it for the first time, that when I was afraid I was not a Christian I was doubting God’s Word. I read it again with my eyes overflowing with tears.

Since that day I have had many sorrows and many joys, but never have I doubted for a moment that I was a Christian, because God said it.

​

 

[Richard T]

I've studied for decades, and read all of the Bible multiple times, continue reading the Bible daily, and now I'm praying in accordance with Mark 11:24, Jesus telling us to 'believe that you have already received it'. Yet though I will to do this, thoughts occur in my brain involuntarily such as,

1. "You're just engaging in wishful thinking."
2. "This probably isn't going to happen."
3. "Your experience and observations of the world are better explained by atheism."
4. "Your petitions haven't been granted because God wants you to be 'Eastern Orthodox', or Mohammedan, or some other religion."

Although I try repudiating these thoughts as demons whispering to me, by recalling Sacred Scripture, by engaging in logcal argument, by prayer for the demons to be banished from me, and continue asking God to give me more faith and unwavering faith, the thoughts continue, and it appears to me I genuinely believe them - that when I die everything will be over, life done - because I am discouraged, downhearted, depressed, sad, rather than excited about being healed soon, rather than be happy that God is bringing about a greater good every moment I'm not healed, rather than be content knowing no matter what happens God will make it right.

What do you think? Is there some way to stop doubting? to be finally convinced the Gospel is true?

While I love Mark 11:23, the way it works is you have to hear from God to have that kind of faith. You can pray for faith but "Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God. The word there is spoken word or rhema. Now I always say that God wants to talk to us more than we want to listen. Sometimes we just let ourselves got in the way. To me, the things that may help you, is to continue in humility, asking God to speak to you. Find yourself some Christian praise music, or even an older hymn that you can entreat God with.
As you seem to be stuck, confess all the doubts, all the religious thinking about various versions of Christianity and just get real with God, letting him know that you give your life to Him, that you do believe the bible is true and that you want to experience His fellowship and love. Sort of like starting with a blank canvas in your expectation to God with only the word of God as your protection from errant doctrines. The scripture below I think speaks to this, that we have to empty ourselves, become more child-like and see God in the purest and simplest form.

It would be good to seek God in a church too. When I was at my lowest point, someone told me a church where the power of God was real. I was skeptical but I grown up in a church where there was not even talk of God's power. What I received was different than what I expected. I saw real love and joy in the church people. Super genuine and not fake like I have seen so much of before. It only took a few services that I was singing the song "I exalt thee" and it was as if something just lifted off me. I could not wait to get to the altar so I set there squirming until the preaching was over. The power often missed is the church that can actually be so sensitive to God that they hear him, follow him and create an atmosphere where our hearts can connect to him. I am not talking about some New age garbage but the real God of the bible who really is heart to heart, connected to solid Christians that really worship him in spirit and truth.
I do believe you really are going to find God speaking to you, giving you the faith you so desperately seek. God bless you always!

1 Corinthians 1:26-27, which says, "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty".

 

[timothyu]

It depends what you want to believe in... Christianity has become so fragmented. The religion at man's behest wants you to believe all sorts of things. Jesus on the other hand made it clear we were to first seek the Kingdom. That found and you will understand. And he said one thing we were to do besides the two commandment... spread His only gospel, the Gospel of the Kingdom. Jesus chastised the priests of the day for keeping it from the people and the same has carried on until today. Clear up the clutter and what to believe will become clear. Don't let the clutter pushers dissuade you. Its all about the Father and His Kingdom, NOT the world of man. It's not just about us, but about His battle with adversity since the beginning of creation, first in His realm, then here.

Matthew 6: 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 24: 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Matthew 23: 13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

 

[linux.poet]

MOD HAT ON​

This thread has been moved from The Kitchen Sink to Requests for Christian Advice.​

MOD HAT OFF​

 

[AetheriusLamia]

you have to love truth so much that it makes you dig into the word, research the heck out of it and ask God to guide you while you do. [...] dive in deep and keep going until those doubts get to a point where they don't even make sense.

You remind me of Gary Habermas, who has said he was in my situation and studied for years and years until he realized there was something I think he calls "emotional doubt" (though maybe he calls it 'volitional doubt'). I've forgotten his statements; maybe it was that suffering causes doubt, that acceptance of suffering is the way to stop doubting. I wonder if we should search 'Gary Habermas doubt', '[...] emotional doubt', '[...] volitional doubt' to find videos of his talks on it.

 

[AetheriusLamia]

When I was at my lowest point, someone told me a church where the power of God was real. I was skeptical but I grown up in a church where there was not even talk of God's power.

I wonder if you would have me leave the Catholic Church for an 'Assemblies of God' or 'Pentacostal' Protestant community. My study of history indicates Jesus established the Catholic/Orthodox Church, though sadly and frustratingly He has not made clear to me whether we should be 'Roman Catholic' or 'Eastern Orthodox' -- unless He has indeed give me the answer: that we should be 'Roman Catholic' if in a Western country where this liturgy was practiced before the Schism, and 'Eastern Orthodox' if in an Eastern country where this liturgy was practiced before the Schism. It seems to me both together are The Church (and the Church is not 'the invisible collection of all believers'), and that the Schism is a fiction 'Orthodox' Christians are perpetuating in their minds by refusing 'Catholics' the Eucharist.

 

[Richard T]

I wonder if you would have me leave the Catholic Church for an 'Assemblies of God' or 'Pentacostal' Protestant community. My study of history indicates Jesus established the Catholic/Orthodox Church, though sadly and frustratingly He has not made clear to me whether we should be 'Roman Catholic' or 'Eastern Orthodox' -- unless He has indeed give me the answer: that we should be 'Roman Catholic' if in a Western country where this liturgy was practiced before the Schism, and 'Eastern Orthodox' if in an Eastern country where this liturgy was practiced before the Schism. It seems to me both together are The Church (and the Church is not 'the invisible collection of all believers'), and that the Schism is a fiction 'Orthodox' Christians are perpetuating in their minds by refusing 'Catholics' the Eucharist.

While some churches think they are the "one," to me the one is whatever church focuses on the word and on Jesus. I rarely have heard of Catholics who wrestle with Mark 11:24, so I was not thinking in that direction. However, there is one type of Catholic that is quite similar in some ways to Pentecostals. There are millions of them mostly in S. America. From google ai "Charismatic Catholics are part of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, a movement within the Catholic Church that emphasizes the active and powerful presence of the Holy Spirit in believers' lives. This movement focuses on a personal relationship with Jesus, the experience of "baptism in the Holy Spirit," and the use of spiritual gifts, or charisms, like speaking in tongues and healing, which are seen as direct manifestations of God's power. The Catholic Church has a warm and supportive relationship with this movement, viewing it as a "current of grace" that revitalizes the Church through a deeper, more experiential faith"
I myself have attended Catholic mass before, though I am forbidden to receive. Many Catholics though frown on their members going to a non-Catholic place of worship but I do not know why. To me, I would suggest trying a church that has some power to give. If you look at I Cor 2 here you can see the focus of Paul is Jesus not a particular version, with the exception that faith rests on the power of God. I would be Catholic myself if they had demonstrations of power in more everyday fashion. While it is true also that some Pentecostals do not have much power there are some that really do. They lay hands on the sick, they believe God in faith including Mark 11:24, as well as other scriptures concerning faith, plus teach and use the spiritual gifts (in Love) to be a witness to the power of God. Though I too have been tempted to have doubts. I have seen God do so much tangible stuff in my life and those around me that my faith cannot be shaken. Why? Because other than God there is no explanation that even comes close.
1 Corinthians 2:2-5 (NASB)
2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,
4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

“Many Catholic charismatics will tell you, they were going along as kind of mediocre Catholics,” he said. “And then this (baptism of the Holy Spirit) happened, and it was like their faith just switched on and came alive. And then they act on it.”

Bishop Smith said that “profound things can happen out of very, very simple moments” of encounter with the divine."
Source: Catholic charismatic renewal creates ‘church on fire’ with God’s love, says bishop - OSV News

That source puts the number of Charismatic Catholics at around 120 million plus.