Dealing With DoubtSample

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for hearing my doubt and questions with love and mercy. You lived on earth when the people of God rejected you because they did not believe you were who you claimed to be. Yet, you showed mercy to the doubters and persevered to do the Father’s will out of love for me. Thank you! Comfort my troubled heart today, Lord, and show me your loving response to my questions. Amen.

How does Jesus respond to doubt?    

God knew that His people would experience doubts during their lives of faith on earth. Scripture gives us examples of men like this in His Word, like John the Baptist. This man spent his life paving the way and preparing Israel for the arrival of Jesus the Messiah. He was even there when Jesus was baptized and confirmed by the Father as the anointed one, the one whom he had been warning the Jews to look for. And yet, at the end of his life, John questioned if Jesus really was who He said He was. 

Talk about doubt! After seeing all of these signs confirming Jesus’ identity, John still wondered, “Did I get it all wrong? Was my life a waste? And after all this, now I’m in prison for telling Israel about Jesus” In today’s passage, you will see John’s doubt in Jesus and his doubt in himself. Watch for Jesus’ response to his questioning, though. What surprises you about how King Jesus responds? Take comfort in the fact that God includes moments like these in His Word. 

Look in the Word: 

1. Read Matthew 11:2-15. What is John’s big question or doubt? Why do you think he was doubting?  
2. Look at verses 4-5 and 11. What do you notice about Jesus’ two responses to John? What does he tell John’s disciples to be reminded of? What does he say about John later in the passage?  

What’s next?  

1. This was a significant moment in John’s life. His question about Jesus’ identity and his own identity as Jesus’ forerunner shook him deeply. These were not easy and light questions. Yet, John wanted to face his doubt, so he asked Jesus himself via his friends. Do not shy away from going directly to Jesus with your hard questions. In light of what you learned today, consider how you think Jesus might respond to your questions.