Living By Faith Blog

Times of Doubt

We all have times when God makes himself so real to us through His word that we know beyond any doubt that we are meeting God, and that His Word is true.

But we also have times when we do not feel that certainty.

We all have times when we are full of doubt and wonder if the Bible really is true, if Jesus really is the Son of God, and if God even exists.

A Christmas Prophecy

At these times I find it helpful to look at the evidence God gives for why we should believe in God and His Word.

And one piece of evidence I am finding helpful this Christmas season is the prophecy given in Micah 5:2 —

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

Micah wrote this prophecy at around 725 BC.

So 725 years before Christ, God had Micah write the exact city Jesus was to be born in — the little town of Bethlehem.

And that’s exactly what happened —

Now … Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king … (Matthew 2:1)

How Does This Strengthen Faith?

Well, think about it: how often are YOU able to know something that will happen 725 years in the future?

Never.

And the reason is because we human beings don’t have certain knowledge of what will happen in the future.

We don’t have this knowledge.  But God does.

God — and only God — has certain knowledge of what will happen in the future, because God ordains what will happen in the future.

So when Micah writes that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem, and 725 years later the Messiah is born in Bethlehem, this shows us that —

• there really is a God (because only God knows the future),
• Micah is writing the words of God (because Micah wrote what is a prophecy from God),
• the one born in Bethlehem 2000 years later is the Messiah (because he fulfilled the prophecy of Micah 2:5).

Strengthening Your Faith

So what should you do if your faith is weak, and you are doubting whether Christianity is true, whether the Bible is the Word of God, or even whether there IS a God?

Don’t despair, and don’t give up.

Turn to God, and confess your unbelief to Him.

Pray and ask God to strengthen your faith, along the lines of Mark 9:24 and Romans 10:17.

Then, read what Micah wrote in Micah 5:2.  Think about the fact that this document was written 725 years before Christ.

And then read what Matthew wrote in Matthew 2:1.

Ponder the fact that 725 years before the Messiah was born, Micah said the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem — and how that’s exactly where the Messiah was born.

Prayerfully read over these Scriptures until you feel the Holy Spirit strengthening your faith.

The Holy Spirit will use the evidence of God’s Word to strengthen your faith and encourage your heart.

So trust Him, and press into God’s Word with earnest prayer.

He will meet you.

Questions? Comments?

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And here are some related posts you might find helpful –

• “I Believe; Help My Unbelief“
• How the World Gives Us Evidence for God
• Why Trust Jesus Christ?
• Evidence for Jesus’ Resurrection