Yes, even as believers, we may sometimes find ourselves wrestling with questions.
And perhaps, feeling just a little bit like Doubting Thomas.
The disciple who, when told of Jesus’s resurrection, responded, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25).
In his story, lies the key to overcoming doubt.
But before we go any further, let’s clear something up.
Having doubts doesn’t mean you’re a bad Christian.
It simply means that your faith is maturing. It’s an indication that you are not afraid to ask difficult questions and seek the truth.
The story of Thomas teaches us a profound lesson, one that can help us mature and reinforce our faith in God.
The vital moment in that story comes a week after Jesus’s resurrection.
Jesus appears before his disciples once more.
And this time, Thomas is present.
He sees the wounds of Christ, hears His voice, and Jesus lets him reach out and touch his wounds.
“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
This moment of recognition, of truly seeing Jesus, triggers a complete transformation in Thomas.
And therein lies our lesson.
The key to unwavering faith is not in eliminating doubts, but in seeking a personal, transformative encounter with Christ.
Everyone’s journey is unique.
We each encounter Christ in different ways.
And it is through these encounters that we, like Thomas, come to recognize Jesus for who He is. Our Lord and our God.
So if you ever wrestle with doubts, don’t despair.
Remember the story of Thomas. Reach out to Christ. Seek a personal encounter with Him.
Someone once asked me, “I have reached out to God so many times but didn’t ever hear back from Him. Doesn’t He want to talk to me?”
This heart-wrenching question is not uncommon. Especially during the trying times we are currently going through.
When we find ourselves in the midst of storms, it’s natural to yearn for a clear, reassuring voice from above. A voice that would calm our troubled hearts and affirm that we are not alone.
I want to assure you that God does indeed hear you.
And he does more than that. He always responds.
But His responses might not be what we expect.
He often communicates through subtle hints. Seemingly insignificant events that nudge us in the right direction.
These are the instances that we often overlook, dismiss as mere coincidence, or perhaps fail to acknowledge in our quest for more evident signs of His presence.
The buddy who reaches out just when we’re feeling low.
The unexpected resolution to a lingering pain.
The gentle, comforting breeze on a particularly challenging day.
These are God’s whispers, His silent assurances that He is with us, guiding and protecting us.
The key to noticing these instances is developing a heightened sense of awareness.
Amid the noise and commotion of our experiences, it requires us to quieten our minds and attune our hearts to the subtleties of His divine orchestration.
It’s about recognizing His voice in the silence, His presence in the solitude, His guidance in the seemingly mundane.
I encourage you to pause, breathe, and keenly observe the world around you.
Look for these subtle indications of His presence.
They might be unassuming and easy to overlook, but they are there, waiting to be found, affirming His guidance and love.
God’s communication often comes in the softest of whispers, rather than in roaring thunders.
So keep reaching out to Him.
And as you do, listen intently. His answer may be subtly disguised in the happenings of your daily experiences.
I read a report today that really scared me because it detailed how daily readership of the Bible has hit an all-time low in the United States.
Sadly, this has been an on going trend for the past 20 years, most of my life, and something has to be done ASAP to help encourage more and more people to pick up the Bible and read it; not just when we’re attending Church services, but at home, or the park, or anywhere we like to read.
What’s baffling to me is that the Bible has everything in it that a great book or novel has in it today: betrayal, murder, and even crazy twists.
If you’ve never read the Bible, then trust me, you’re REALLY missing out. There’s more than one reason why it’s referred to as the ‘Good Book.’
It really is a good book, a great book actually, and more people, Christians and non-Christians alike, need to pick it up on a daily basis and read it.
Why Should We Read The Bible More?
When we read the Bible we’re getting to know God. His Word is alive and changes us when we read it.
I’m asking everyone reading this to try and get someone you know, including yourself, to give these books in the Bible a read this week:
#1 – Book of Job
One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”
Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” Job 1:6-8
Just reading Job is eye-opening. We get a glimpse of what God will allow in our lives. If we read carefully, we see God didn’t make bad things happen to Job but He did allow them. The same is true with us.
#2 – Book of Genesis
And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15
God makes clothes to cover Adam and Eve when they recognize their nakedness. It’s the first animal sacrifice and it’s to cover them because of their sin of disobedience.
The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. Genesis 3:21
Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross later is the ultimate covering for each of us. There are so many incredible ways to see Jesus in the book of Genesis. God already had His plan for us set in motion.
#3 – Book of Daniel
The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.” Daniel 2:47
It’s amazing how God worked through him and gave him not only the meaning of the King’s dream but showed Daniel the actual dream, too. His life and the lives of others depended on it.
#4 – Gospel of John
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
The Gospel of John brings everything together and ties it up neatly with a bow. Like any well-written book, the first sentence is captivating.
#5 – Book of Revelation
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. Revelation 1:3
Sometimes, we just need a few words of peace and comfort from the Bible. If you’re seeking comfort then head to the book of Psalms.
What Are Your Favorite and Most Beloved Parts of the Bible
What makes you want to pick up the Bible everyday and read it? What about the Bible should we share with others?
Please let me know so I can share these with my friends and family, because my favorite parts of the Bible may not be yours, and I’m always intrigued by what makes people want to read the Bible everyday like I do!
Let’s do our best to help booster readership of the Bible as much as we can!
Talk of prayer is evident in the Christian home, church, and Holy Bible. We talk about prayer as a means of gaining wisdom, making important decisions, and otherwise living life as God desires for us. Why?
There are numerous examples of people using prayer in the Bible for the same reasons. In some of these instances, prayer is evoked to bring about healing over physical or emotional ailments and even victory over enemies in battle. We can conclude then that prayer at some level is a conversation between the person (or persons) praying and God. Yet, in order to fully comprehend prayer, there first needs to be an understanding of communication.
Communication is the basic foundation for any relationship, friendly, romantic, business. Humans utilize communication through spoken language and also nonverbal body language. Communication is vital in the life of a Christian, not just in how we relate to other people, but more importantly to God. Our language, spoken or otherwise, constantly affects our relationship with Him and our ability to live out His commandments.
At its root, there are three pieces to communication: “the sender, the message, and the recipient.” In prayer, Christians alternate between the roles of sender and recipient. When we operate as the sender, we pray to God seeking some sort of spiritual discernment. We send a message, which God receives. When God answers our prayers, we become the recipient, taking in the message that He sends.
Studying communication explains how prayer fosters a relationship between ourselves and God, and with other people. However, this does not explain the need for prayer in the Christian life. Nor does having communication with God mean He is listening to us. How are we to be sure? For these answers, we must turn to the Bible for insight.
Does God Hear Our Prayers? We know that prayer is our way of communicating with God. The Bible helps us to further this understanding by giving us examples of how others pray and what they prayed about. One great example comes from Matthew 6 when Jesus presents the Lord’s Prayer. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus draws a comparison between true believers and hypocrites. He calls for those following His teaching to not pray out in the open to be seen and admired by others (Matthew 6:5).
Instead, Jesus advocates for a more personal and intimate conversation with God, one that does not to be heard by others to be heard by God. Important to note is that Jesus does not say to only pray in private, but that public prayer done for admiration is wrong. In this sermon, He goes on to recite the Lord’s prayer which embodies all the reasons why Christians pray.
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10)
Jesus himself informs us of our greatest responsibilities as Christians (Mathew 22:34-40). With this in mind, we can confirm that prayer helps us to live a life dedicated to loving God and others. When we pray, we make our requests known to God, which helps us efficiently live out our responsibilities. Thus, according to Jesus, prayer is intimate, personal, and often private. When we pray, we may seek things to benefit ourselves, but any and all things should redirect us to fulfilling the first and second greatest commandments.
This explains why we pray to God. We pray because of who God is, our Father in Heaven, the one who grants us salvation, the one who guides us through life. We pray in order to live out His will as He has deemed for believers. Like Jesus, there were many figures in the Bible who used prayer to communicate with God. We can follow all of their examples of how to pray, when, and what to communicate to God.
One question still remains though, how do we know God hears our prayers. The Bible too answers this.
How Do We Know That God Hears Our Prayers? The entirety of the Bible can be read as a love story, a story of God caring so much about humanity that He sacrificed His son in an act of redemption. How do we know God hears our prayers? He loves us.
We know that God hears our prayers because of the prayer accounts presented in the Bible. People tell the story of God answering their prayers, how they prayed, and what they prayed about. The aforementioned example of Jesus in Matthew 6 is just one account of many. And there are lines in the Bible of God himself speaking, that reaffirm He hears our prayers.
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)
Not being able to hear God as we would another person does not mean we cannot find Him. We also don’t pray to other people, meaning our relationship with God is bound to look different. Our relationship with God is governed by our faith and not by our ability to see Him or audibly hear him (2 Corinthians 5:7).
This information lets us know that God hears our prayers. We can look at the evidence in the Bible and the evidence in our own lives of God answering our prayers. God may not act when we want, or exactly how we want, but God does act when we pray according to His will. Knowing that God hears our prayers makes us better equipped to communicate with Him.
What Can We Learn from the Way People Prayed in the Bible? Prayer Is Honest
“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1)
Psalm 13 is a great reflection of the human experience of suffering. David prays to God with questions. He is not only seeking insight, but deliverance. His words show that he is not approaching God timidly, but openly bearing his anguish. His words are so dramatic as to question God. Nonetheless, David ends on an upbeat note, saying that he will remain trusting in God.
When we pray, we can share with God our positive experiences, as some of the psalms reveal. However, we can also talk to God about our suffering. Much like the conversations we have with peers, everything we discuss does not have to be positive. God wants to be a part of every aspect of our lives, including the moments of despair and desperation.
Prayer Is Constant
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
We are called to pray every day. Much like any relationship with a person, what we invest in our communication is what we will get out of the relationship. The more we commune with God the stronger our bond. There is no time limit the Bible issues on prayer. Quite the opposite. As Christians, when we learn to pray without ceasing, we will begin to see God is all aspects of our lives. However difficult, the benefits are worthwhile.
Prayer Is Not Instantaneous
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Paul serves as a great example of someone who prayed for God to deliver Him from suffering, but God did not. God had His reasons, and Paul was fortunate enough to learn why. When we pray, God may not answer certain prayers when we want, how we want, or at all. We have to trust His reasoning and timing.
Prayer Brings Healing
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:16)
Prayer has the power to bring about miracles, whether God is performing the miracle Himself or working through someone. As we seek to bring God’s kingdom to Earth, our prayers for spiritual discernment will put us on the path God sees fit. All the while we can include in our prayers, moments of gratitude, thanking God for the highs and lows of life knowing that He is present always.
The Lord’s Prayer
There are many aspects of prayer. Ultimately, we can conclude that prayer is vital for a relationship with God. Prayer allows us to communicate with Him in a way we do not with other people. Through our words and our actions, we have the ability to live a life that is God-centered like Jesus, or not. Part of power resides in prayer. With this in mind, we can recite the Lord’s prayers with greater wisdom as to how we pray and why we should.
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:9-13)
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