Doubt - Jeremiah (5)

In overcoming our doubts we need to

Remember God’s great promises in the past

God had spoken some great words to Jeremiah. He did this at the beginning of the prophet’s work. Jeremiah’s job was going to be very dificult, but God offers him encouragment.  Later, Jeremiah was plagued with doubts, he was suffering greatly. Then God spoke the same words to him again. (Jeremiah 15:20, 1:18, 19.)

You may have forgotten a great promise of God. It helped you get through the worst of times in the past. So, listen to the same Bible words again.

• Trust His great promises.

• He will give you strength and protection.

• Best of all, God himself will always be with you.

When we have doubts, we should do something else too. We must

Trust God completely, whatever our feelings may be

We may feel that God has gone away from us, that He has adandoned us. At first, this is a matter of discipline. Here, in Jeremiah 17:5-13, ihe realizes something. He sees that it is foolish to go to anyone else for help. Jeremiah might phrase it this way:

Do not let your heart go away from the Lord. 

You might feel that God has left you. But he has not. Let your hope be in the Lord (Jeremiah 17:7).

Your life may be hard. Then look to him (Jeremiah 17:8).

Trust in his promises. They do not change. (1 Peter 1:4, Joshua 21:45 and 23:14, 1 Kings 8:56 and Numbers 23:19.)

Then we can again recognoze the sovereignty of God

Perhaps your life is not what you wanted it to be (Jeremiah 17:12) or going in the direction you thought it would. But something happens when we recognise His sovereignty. We are sure about God again (Jeremiah 17:13).

Jeremiah had stopped believing and trusting God. Now he begins to trust God again. The Lord really is like ‘a supply of fresh water’.

And, the final thing we need to do is...

[conclusion tomorrow...]