God loves boldness and He wants us to be confident of His love for us. He wants us to know without a doubt that we are made right with Him through the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross—especially on those days when we feel unworthy of His love.
To live boldly means that we’re willing to step out in faith to try new things and pursue our God-given dreams and passions without letting the fear of doubt overshadow our faith.
Doubt is a fear that can bring a lot of confusion: Did I make the right decision? I don’t know. Maybe I did. Well, maybe I didn’t. We can go back and forth like that in our heads forever. But I’ve found that when I’m confused, it’s better to stop, turn off my brain and just look at what’s in my heart—not for what I think I should do but what I believe I should do.
Sometimes it becomes very clear what God wants us to do; other times it’s less obvious. But before you jump ahead, give God a chance to speak to your heart.
God Is On Your Side, No Matter What
James 1:5-6 (NIV) says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”
Notice that this verse says, “If any of you” needs wisdom. God isn’t looking for perfect people; they don’t exist. So no matter where you are, God wants to help you! Isn’t that good news?
God will never leave you or forsake you and He will always remain faithful to His Word. All you have to do is ask and receive, dismissing the doubts that set themselves up against His Word. If you can do that, there’s no telling what God will make happen in your life!
Trade Doubting for Clarity and Confidence
Romans 4 gives a wonderful account of the story of Abraham, one of the great heroes of faith. Verses 18-19 say, “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.”
Abraham considered the facts but he still believed God was greater. Verse 20 says, “Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God.”
Instead of relying only on what we see around us, you and I can choose to believe God’s Word. And we can speak words of thanks, like this: “God, I remember the good things You’ve done for me and how You’ve been faithful to those who’ve trusted in You through the ages. I’m giving You praise today because I know You’ll always be faithful.”
Doubt cannot make you cave in if you will open your mouth and war against it with words of faith.
How to Grow in Faith During Times of Waiting
Like Abraham, we all have times of waiting that God uses to test and stretch our faith. But He promises to work all things out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28).
Honestly, if we can keep a good attitude throughout the process, our wait time may be shorter than it would be if we murmur and complain. God wants to use the challenges we experience to draw us closer to Him so that when our prayer is finally answered, and our day of breakthrough comes, we’ll be stronger in our faith and able to withstand any opposition that comes against us.
Hebrews 10:36 says, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”
It takes boldness to believe God’s promises are for you and not just for everyone else. It takes boldness to cling to His promises when the world around you says, “It will never happen!” And it takes boldness to step out in faith and try something new.
But be encouraged. God isn’t concerned about you making mistakes. He knows you’re not perfect and He wants to give you His wisdom and strength to do everything He’s put in your heart. So stop doubting and step out in faith…and believe God can do something amazing in you and through you. He wants to see boldness in you!
For more on this topic, order Joyce’s four-teaching CD series Overcoming Fear with Faith. You can also contact us to receive our free magazine, Enjoying Everyday Life, by calling (800) 727-9673 or visiting joycemeyer.org.
Please note: The views and opinions expressed throughout this publication and/or website are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Joyce Meyer Ministries. {eoa}
Joyce Meyer is a New York Times bestselling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. She has authored 130 books, including Battlefield of the Mind and Authentically, Uniquely You (FaithWords). She hosts the Enjoying Everyday Life radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of stations worldwide. For more information, visit joycemeyer.org.
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