God Responds To Doubt

“Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen? I am still a virgin.” The angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of the Most High God will cover you. The baby will be holy and will be called the Son of God” Luke 1:34-35

There were questions of doubt, acts of doubt, and statements of doubt but God responded differently to doubt. Do not miss this. God responds differently to doubt based on the sincerity of the doubter. God does not respond the same way to every doubt even though doubt is doubt. God responds differently to doubt based on the honesty and the sincerity of the doubter. In the case of Mary, what did God do? The angel just explained, the Holy Ghost will come upon you and you will conceive. God responded to doubt with an explanation. In the case of Zechariah God must have said, you are a priest you should know better. I am not going to explain to you. You are going to be dumb until this happens because to whom much is given, much is expected. To Sarah God responded differently, God invariably said to Sarah I would prove it to you.  God said, Sarah you are laughing and she said I didn’t laugh. And God says I will prove it to you. According to the time of life not only will you have a son but also you will name him laughter [Isaac]. God responded differently. To the officer in 2Kings, the officer whom the king rested on, God responded differently to his doubt. “The officer assisting the king said to the man of God, “That couldn’t happen even if the Lord opened the windows of heaven!” But Elisha replied, “You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won’t be able to eat any of it!” 2kings7:2. He was saying, Think. Use your brain. Even if God opens the windows of heaven can this thing happen? But Elisha replied you will see it happen with your own eyes but you won’t be able to eat any of it. God responded differently to his doubt because it was filled with arrogance, it was filled with an air of superiority. There are a lot more examples in the Scripture but note that God always responds differently to doubt based on the sincerity of the doubter.

So what do Mary, Sarah, and Thomas all have in common? Sincerity and honesty, a heart that wants to believe. Their doubt was based on sincerity that wants to believe and not based on pride or ridicule or thinking they know what they do not know. Their doubt was based on sincerity. How can this thing be? Thomas was saying to the other disciples, we have gone through so much in these few days if I do not see this thing and touch it I would not believe sorry. Personally, I have doubts that I have wrestled through in my walk with God and I have seen how God responded to me. So looking at Thomas reinforces for me that Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, purge my heart of pride and doubt and grow my faith, in Jesus Name.