Explore Your Doubts

     If you have had no doubts in life we must ask, “Are you awake? Are you thinking?”

     Doubts are normal for the normal person. It alerts your clever brain to get to work, take a more critical look at the surroundings and the other people. It starts you on a journey of discovery. Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

     Give yourself a little time to explore your doubts. Make a rough, “top of the head” list of doubts that you currently “own.”

     See if there’s one in particular that you want to expand upon. Jot down a little about it.

     Let “My Doubts” rest. Go back and take another look a little later. Consider feelings and logic.

     Reread. Reconsider. What grabs your attention? Are you being honest?  Can you further expand any of the categories you first identified?

     Can you add any new categories? Can you remove any?

     Consider how to deal with your own doubts. Is it rational? Did you eat too much pizza? Are you in a depressing situation that is temporary? Or, has this haunted you, undercover? Have you tried to put it aside? What did you do, and did it work at that time?

     Identify the strong words. Now, flip them to the opposite and list them side by side. Are the positive words as strong as the negative words in your list?

     Fish around inside your head to recall Bible verses or Bible stories that you can identify with. Do a keyword search. This site  www.biblegateway.com has 50 versions.

     Eventually, your own experience of facing and owning your doubts, and how you either minimize, understand, or conquer each of those doubts can make you a stronger Christian.

     See what insights emerge. Talk it over with your Heavenly Father.

                                                         by Elaine Hardt ©2008