Day 32 - Doubts in Faith
Posted by Dan Ackroyd
PSALM 23
“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. 3. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. 5. Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. 6. Surely goodness and loving-kindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
I grew up in a loving church family in Pennsylvania. In elementary school, we would walk over to the church once a week to review Bible verses and have a brief discussion on the meaning of those verses. The verses above were ones that I had memorized and have always remembered. I did not know that it would have so much meaning to me in my life.
Early in my life, God gave me a test in faith when he took my father from me when I was 13 years old. In a loss of that magnitude and at that age there were a lot of feelings of doubt, anger, and frustration. I found myself straying from God and my faith in him. I had so many questions and at that time really no one to go to for answers. As time passed and I grew farther and farther away from my faith, these verses would surface and catch my attention. Finally, my young family moved to Nashville, and we found Peace Community Church. Here I was able to get those feelings and questions maybe not answered, but was able to get some direction on how God is always there to support me in my darkest of times.
I choose these verses from Psalm 23 to show that there will be times, like Michael says, that our faith will be tested. But remember that God is always there to comfort you. I have found comfort in knowing that God’s love will follow me no matter where I go or what happens to me.
PRAYER: “God thank you for the feeling of comfort and assurance that you are always with us no matter what is going on in our life. I pray that others will be able to hold onto these verses as I have and can find the comfort in you that I have been able to find. Amen.”
POINT TO PONDER: God’s love will follow me now matter where I go or what happens to me.
September 6th, 2007 at 7:25 am
I can completely relate to this with you Dan. I remember when when my brother Israel was taken from me and my family. I remember really leaning on my faith to get me through, but then shortly thereafter feeling those feelings of anger, doubt, and frustration I began to stray. Even as I drifted away from God I felt his pull on my heart. God is always there for us, and even when I thought at times I had reached a point of no return, he welcomed me back with open-arms.