Dealing With Our Doubts
Moving from Self-Centered Doubt to God-Centered Faith
"Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, 'What will be the sign that the LORD will heal me and that I will go up to the temple of the LORD on the third day from now?'" - 2 Kings 20:8 (NIV)
Have you ever heard something that was just too good to be true? What is your instant reaction? Mine is always skepticism fueled with doubt.
Doubt is a universal human emotion. We've all experienced doubts about ourselves, loved ones, circumstances and probably even doubts about God. Our chapter today covers the doubt King Hezekiah had about God.
In this chapter we see a pivotal point in the life and reign of King Hezekiah: A king who started well would crumble and lose faith in the God who had proved Himself so faithful.
Self-Centered vs. Faith-Centered Prayer
There is a certain subtly in Hezekiah's prayer that's important to note: It was self-centered, not faith-centered, unlike his prayer in 2 Kings 19:15-19. This subtle but distinct shift of perspective leaves room for doubt. It isn't wrong for Hezekiah to cry out for healing, but the condition and motive of his heart plays into the development of doubt.
In response to Hezekiah's prayer, God faithfully and mercifully responds with a promise to provide healing. However, Hezekiah asks for a sign! If I were King Hezekiah, the conversation going on with myself in my head would be: This is too good to be true! Wait, maybe it's not true. How can I be sure that it is true? I'll ask for a sign!
All of this is fueled by a doubt that questions the goodness of God.
Overcoming Our Doubts: Two Key Approaches
1. Shifting Our Focus
How can we deal with our doubts about God? First, it starts with an intentional shift from being self-centered to faith-centered. Doubt in itself isn't a bad thing, but when our doubts take us to a place of self-focus and not faith-focus, we lose sight of the mercy and magnitude of God.
2. Returning to God's Character
This shift to a faith-centered perspective begins by returning to the truth of who God is. When we look at Hezekiah's prayer we see he never even makes an ask of God. In fact, before that could even happen, God, through the prophet Isaiah, speaks to Hezekiah and says three faith-filling statements. (2 Kings 20:5)
God says — I have heard your prayers.
God says — I have seen your tears.
God responds mercifully.
One of the ways we can battle the doubt in our lives is by preaching these truths about God to ourselves.
God hears us.
God sees us.
God will respond mercifully to us.
God extended great mercy and reassured Hezekiah by proving Himself through a sign. And sometimes God gives us signs that He is at work as well. But we don't need signs to confirm the truth of who God is and His work in our lives. This is the essence of our faith — believing in what we can't see.
Second Corinthians 4:18 says, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Conclusion:
The Lord will deal gently with our doubts; on that we can be sure. However, let's move toward a faith that isn't tied to the temporal we can see with our eyes, but to the eternity God has set in our hearts. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
Deeper Dive: Symbolic Return
Often in Scripture the original language reveals symbolic overtones. In this passage we can compare and contrast the beautiful faith-filled prayer of King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 19:15-19 to a self-centered prayer. In King Hezekiah's prayer in chapter 19, he starts with a declaration that God is the creator of the heavens and earth. In chapter 20 Hezekiah puts God to the test by showing His power over creation by making the shadow "return" 10 steps.
The Hebrew word for "return" is šûb. It is also used to describe how God made Sennacherib return to his homeland. (Isaiah 37:34,37) This shadow returning 10 steps can also serve as a symbolic reminder that this is the same God who would cause the exiles to "return" from their second exodus and captivity that is alluded to at the end of the chapter. (2 Kings 20:16-19)
This promise of a "return" from exile is a faithful promise for us today. God has promised the return of His son Jesus who will enter humanity as the King of Kings to redeem and restore all that was lost. Finally, the captives will return to the perfect presence of God and live under His perfect reign and rule.
The peace we long for begins with coming to the end of ourselves.
There are inescapable aspects of life we are all marked by. We have less control than we want, more anxiety than we're comfortable with and just enough insecurity to continually remind us of our shortcomings. To experience these things is to be human. We aren't superheroes and invincibility isn't an option.
But humility is.
Overcome the fear of being "found out" or looking like a fraud by realizing God's intent for shortcomings and weaknesses.
Walk through hurtful situations in the most God-honoring way by gaining a true understanding of biblical humility.
Answer the question "why do bad things happen to good people?" by learning a perspective shift that will change how you process suffering.
Know confidently that you're living with purpose and being used by God through seven ways to practically live like Him today.
Be led by the biblical definition of self-awareness so you can experience the unexpected ways it brings safety and security to your life.
Stop believing the lie that theology is out of touch or too difficult to comprehend as Joel shows you how to dig into scripture and study it yourself.
Weakness is not your enemy. Planted in the soil of humility, weakness becomes a means to gaining more strength and more peace.