From Doubt to Faith - Daily Devotional October 1, 2009

Daily Bible Reading - 1 Chronicles 15, Ezekiel 27, Luke 24

From Doubt to Faith (Luke 24)

This passage of scripture is so encouraging to me. As we read the chapter we see the disciples doubting the very thing that Jesus told them would happen. Christ had been crucified and buried yet when the women get to the tomb they found it to be empty. They stood there perplexed until the angels reminded them that Jesus told them he would rise on the third day. The disciples heard the news and they did not believe, in fact, they thought it to be "an idle tale" (verse 11). Two of the disciples even end up walking along the road with Jesus and do not realize it is Him until He broke bread with them. There are many times in my life that I struggle with doubt, how about you? Yet as I read this chapter I see that even the people that spent three years with Jesus had difficulty believing.

What is so wonderful to me is Jesus' response to their doubt. Luke 24:38-40 says "And He said to them, why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have. And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet." Jesus does not get angry with them for doubting, instead He shows them what they need to see to remove their doubt. He helps them destroy unbelief.

This reminds me of Mark 9:17-27. Here we see a dad bring his son who needed to be delivered from a spirit. Jesus tells him "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes" (verse 23). Verse 24 says "Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, I believe; help my unbelief!" Jesus did not focus on the father's unbelief, instead He responded to that measure of faith the father did have. Luke 17:6 says "...If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea', and it would obey you!"

Be encouraged today, Jesus is not looking to harass you for doubting. He comes to you in the midst of your circumstance and your doubt to show you what you need to see to increase your faith. He is not looking for your doubt, He is looking for that small seed of faith. When He sees that small seed of faith, be sure that He will act on your behalf. Get your eyes off your doubt and focus on that mustard seed of faith. Feed it, water it, watch and you will see it begin to grow.

"For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." Romans 1:17

Tomorrow's Bible Reading - 1 Chronicles 16, Ezekiel 28, Galatians 1-2

Dream Big,
Katie