A Wave of the Sea

James 1:6    Santiago 1:6
    “Pero que pida con fe, sin dudar, porque quien duda es como las olas de mar, agitates y llevadas de un lado a otro por el viento.” NVI
    “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.” ESV

    Ask without doubting. Sounds simple. But how? For the most part all you have to do is have faith. But what about those times when the devil is constantly attacking your faith? You sit down to read your bible, he starts off with “Is this really inspired by God?” You bow your head to pray and he whispers “Does God really exist or are you here being the fool the atheists make you out to be, on your knees talking to yourself.” You say with defiance “I believe in God” and all you hear is “But does He believe in you? I mean, just look at yourself. Why would He?”
    I myself have been though as similar hole a few years ago but it wasn’t nearly to the extent that a dear friend of mine was going through a few weeks ago. She said she had tried everything. She had tried to pray without doubts, she had even prayed for God to help her with her doubting, but every day she heard those words spoken to her. In those times we’re often able to muffle the doubts when they come, but we can’t in our own strength stop them from coming at all.
    My advice to her at the time was one that struck even my own understanding. After much prayer for God to help me find the words to say to help her I told her this: Not doubting in your mind is obviously impossible in those situations, but the things you can control are your actions. This is where perseverance comes in. Even when we feel abandoned and without hope we still need to hold on to God though we cannot feel Him there.
    When those times come, I need to continue my devotions, increase my time in prayer and live each moment saying “I believe” with my actions though my mind might whisper otherwise.