How to Lean on God in Days of Doubt

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. -  Psalm 14:1

A story told by British journalist Malcolm Muggeridge about a conversation he had with Svetlana Stalin, the daughter of Josef Stalin. She spent some time with Muggeridge in his home in England while they were working together on their BBC production on the life of her father.

According to Svetlana, as her father lay in his bed during his final hours, he suddenly sat halfway up in bed, clenched his fist toward the heavens once more, and fell back upon his pillow, never to be revived.

The incredible irony of his whole life is that at one time, Josef Stalin had been a seminary student preparing for the ministry until he made a decisive break from his belief in God. This dramatic and complete reversal of conviction that resulted in his hatred for all religion is why Lenin had earlier chosen Stalin and positioned him in authority. And as Stalin lay dying, his one last gesture was a clenched fist toward God, his hard heart in defiance of God’s very existence.

Every Christian, at one time or another, experiences doubt when it comes to faith. And there are two reactions you can have toward doubt: you can let it harden your heart or you can use it to build your faith even more by leaning more into God and watching Him work. So when doubt creeps in, don’t shake your fist. Rely on God all the more and you’ll be amazed at what He does!

Prayer Challenge

Pray that God would strengthen your faith in Him whenever doubt arises!

Questions for Thought

What are some times in your life when you’ve experienced doubt when it comes to your faith?