What To Do When You Don't Believe

My Utmost For His Highest  

Indeed the hour is coming…that you will be scattered… —John 16:32

{CHAMBERS}  “Jesus was not rebuking the disciples in this passage. Their faith was real, but it was disordered and unfocused, and was not at work in the important realities of life. The disciples were scattered to their own concerns and they had interests apart from Jesus Christ. After we have the perfect relationship with God, through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, our faith must be exercised in the realities of everyday life. […] Are we prepared for this? It is certainly not of our own choosing, but God engineers our circumstances to take us there. Until we have been through that experience, our faith is sustained only by feelings and by blessings. But once we get there, no matter where God may place us or what inner emptiness we experience, we can praise God that all is well. That is what is meant by faith being exercised in the realities of life.”

{ELGIN} I have been teaching on the issue on our struggle with unbelief and its consequence in the Christian life.  On at least two occasions, Jesus confronted the disciples over unbelief.  Once was in the boat during a storm (Mark 4:35-41).  After Jesus had calmed the storm He asked the disciples, “Where is your faith?”  If you remember, they had to wake Him up to tell him they were going to die.  They should have gotten a clue when He was sleeping in the midst of their calamity.  (Philippians 4:6-7) “Be anxious for nothing …”  Even an angry sea.  The other time was on the water again.  This time Peter was walking on it.  (Matthew 14:29-31) “Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?””

Because our faith is not strong, we will turn to our flesh in times of trouble, and cast our faith aside.  The Lord told us we should not “lean in our own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5-6) but so often in times of difficulty we make a beeline to our own solutions rather than look to God.  How has that been working out for you?  Not so good for me.  The solution for us is the same as it was for the disciples.  “Turn your eyes upon Jesus.  Look full in His wonderful face.  And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”