Handling Your Doubters

John 10:31-39 (New Living Translation)

³¹ Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. ³² Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?” ³³ They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.” ³⁴ Jesus replied, “It is written in your own Scriptures that God said to certain leaders of the people, ‘I say, you are gods!’ ³⁵ And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people who received God’s message were called ‘gods,’ ³⁶ why do you call it blasphemy when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’? After all, the Father set me apart and sent me into the world. ³⁷ Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work. ³⁸ But if I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don’t believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.” ³⁹ Once again they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them.

    

            For anyone who has ever had to deal with doubters, you know how challenging the situation can be.  Most of us either know somebody who has been in this situation of being challenged every step of the way by people whose sole purpose seems to be to ridicule or to outright dismiss the authority of our role simply because they have a problem with acknowledging who we are. Maybe you’re in a leadership position at work or in an organization and there’s that one person who will seemingly stop at nothing to question not what you are doing, but the authority in which you rightfully do it. That’s the situation that Jesus encounters in this passage.  He is being attacked by a group of naysayers and non-believers who refuse to see Jesus for who he really is – the Son of God.
                Sometimes you might find yourself in a similar situation of being attacked for who you are. Here are three things that we can do to overcome these difficult situations:

1.       Expect that it will happen – This is not the first time that Jesus was attacked for who he is. In fact, this passage opens with the words “once again” which indicates that this has been on-going. Anticipate that you will encounter it and be prepared.

2.       Have an attitude of Endurance – Jesus could have easily given up, but he endured. He had a goal. He was headed to Calvary to fulfill God’s most important plan for humanity. He didn’t let their attempts stop him and neither should you. Press through the stones of name-calling, jealousy, and character attacks. Remember, the end goal is always bigger than the enemy’s goal.

3.       Look for God’s Escape Route – After a brief exchange, Jesus escaped the naysayers and the stones. We can escape our doubters by praying, studying Scripture and staying focused on God’s plan. When we know that we are doing what God has called us and positioned us to do, God will always provide a way.

Remember that the work you are doing is a part of advancing God’s plan for all of humanity. Be determined. Don’t let the doubters detour you from God’s divine plan.

Spiritual Temper Tantrums

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you; plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Recently, I saw a little boy tugging at his mother’s coat and pointing at a small toy that was near the check-out stand. She ignored him for a while until she finally looked down to see what he wanted. He looked up at her and in that small little voice with his eyes transfixed on the toy, he said: I want that. His mother glanced at it and told him no, explaining that he wasn’t getting it today.

The little boy let out a booming cry that rivaled a wolf’s howling. I mean he cried. His face was now red and tears had taken over. He wiggled around in frustration and cried even more. It’s a temper tantrum that most of us are familiar with either from our own childhood or from handling our own child’s tantrums.

And at the root of it is this sense of wanting something – right then and there – and instead being told no. It’s like something erupts in our minds and this sea of emotions begins to overflow causing us to work ourselves into a tirade of anger, disappointment, frustration and sadness. Our whole countenance changes.

The same true is in our spiritual lives. We pray for something and want God to answer it right then. More than that, we want God’s approval and affirming yes to our desires, plans, ideas, etc. Sometimes God answers right away with a yes if it aligns with his plan and purpose for our lives. Other times, God gives a resounding no because it’s not what he wants for us. And then there is the not yet– you’re not getting it today.

God designed us and knows all about us. He knows our strengths, weaknesses, and those areas that he still has to prune. We’re not ready yet. For a number of reasons, this is true. We haven’t had the right experience to deal with what’s ahead. We wobble in our faith, trusting God some days and doubting him on other days. We haven’t overcome certain fears that will surely cause us to not enjoy the very thing that we are asking him for. So no – you’re not getting it today.

On this spiritual walk, there will be moments when you are absolutely fed up, frustrated and crying, throwing temper tantrums at God. It’s a part of your spiritual maturity. We learn that this faith walk isn’t about having our way. It’s about God having his way in all areas of our lives. It’s about being in deeper relationship with God and trusting him whole-heartedly, believing deep within our heart and soul that he has our best interest in mind.  

Sometimes when we look back on those temper tantrums, upset at what God didn’t do, we can see now how glad we are that he made that decision. Glad that he protected us from an unhealthy relationship, an expensive purchase that we really couldn’t afford , or a position in a company that went through major layoffs  three months later.

The more you are actively engaged in this faith walk, the healthier you become spiritually. You might still have a spiritual temper tantrum every now and again, but you will grow through it knowing that God is transforming you to accomplish his plans and purpose for your life.