Encouragement for Today - July 31, 2012

July 31, 2012

When Doubt Tries to Bully Us
Renee Swope

"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" - Romans 8:31 (NIV)

One morning I woke up feeling beat up by discouragement. My mind was being bullied by thoughts of doubt: I can't do it all! I am not cut out to be a wife, a mom, a daughter, a speaker, a writer and all the other things God has called me to. My thoughts were against me, and my feelings were too.

As I lay in bed feeling completely inadequate, my radio alarm came on. Suddenly my thoughts were interrupted by Twila Paris singing to me. With confident assurance, she spoke truth to my soul, telling me this was no time for fear, but a time for faith and determination. She challenged me not to lose my vision or be carried away by my emotions, but to hold on to all that I had hidden in my heart, and all I believed to be true. Then she reminded me of the most important truth of all: God is in control. [1]

As I heard these words, my thoughts aligned with God's truth. It changed my whole perspective. I went from feeling afraid to feeling determined and from feeling out of control to knowing God is in control.

We have the choice either to let doubt beat us up or to let God's truth build us up.

If we have Christ in us, we have full access to God's power and His promises to live with a confident heart. But it won't just happen because it's possible. We have to take action.

When my alarm came on that morning, I was so glad I'd set my radio to that station the night before, so I would wake up hearing encouraging music and truth. Just like I tuned into that station, we need to get intentional about tuning our thoughts into God's thoughts toward us, every day.

In the same way a radio has AM and FM frequencies, so do our thoughts. They are either AM (against me) or FM (for me) thoughts. The truth is, we are often our worst critics and have a lot of AM thoughts.

And if our thoughts are against us, our feelings will be too.

So, the next time you get those feelings of uncertainty and self-doubt, stop and ask the Holy Spirit to show you what you are thinking that is making you feel that way. Then compare your thoughts about that situation to God's thoughts, which are reflected in Scripture. Do they match? If not, find a promise in God's Word to replace the lie that has filled your heart with doubt. Here are few to get your started:

• When doubt comes against me, saying I'm weak and all alone, I will focus on the truth that God is for me! I can be strong and courageous because the Lord my God is with me. He will never leave me nor forsake me. (Deuteronomy 31:6, NIV)

• When doubt comes against me, saying I'm not good enough for a certain role or position, I will remember that God is for me! He says I am His masterpiece, created to be new in Christ so that I could do good things He planned long ago. (Ephesians 2:10, NIV)

Lord, Your Word says I am a chosen woman, a royal priest, a holy daughter, a woman belonging to You. Help me remember that You are calling me out of the darkness of my doubts so that I can tell others about the Light I've found in You. Thank You that You are with me to fight for me against my enemies of insecurity and inadequacy. In all these things, I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Today's devotion is based on chapter 6 of Renee's life-changing book, A Confident Heart: How to Stop Doubting Yourself & Live in the Security of God's Promises.

Join over 40,000 women who have lost the weight of self-doubt and gained a confident heart! Sign up for Renee's FREE "7-day DOUBT Diet" that includes a week's worth of FREEdevotions from A Confident Heart. To sign up for "The 7-day DOUBT Diet" click here.

Learn how to recognize the bully of doubt and his AM thoughts, and replace them with God's FM thoughts towards you! Visit the FREE resources page on Renee's website for an expanded list, and when doubt tries to beat you up you'll have God's promises to build you up instead!

Connect with Renee on Facebook for life-changing perspectives and promises from God's Word!

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Reflect and Respond:
What area of your life—as a woman, mom, wife, friend, daughter, housekeeper, professional, leader, etc.—do you currently have the most "against me" thoughts in?

When feelings of self-doubt come, write down the AM (against me) thought you're thinking and look for a FM (for me) promise in Scripture to replace the lie that has filled your heart with doubt. Click here for a list of more AM/FM thoughts.

Power Verses:
1 Peter 2:9, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (NIV)

Deuteronomy 20:4, "For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory." (NIV)

Romans 8:37, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." (NIV)

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