Doubt

Doubt

The General Message of the Lecture

This lecture addresses doubt as one of the most dangerous spiritual and psychological diseases. If left untreated, doubt can move from being a passing thought to a fixed nature that exhausts a person and corrupts their relationship with God, with others, and with themselves.

First: Doubt in Relation to God

Doubt may concern the existence of God, His love, His justice, His power, or His response to prayer.
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains that many do not deny God’s existence but reject Him because His commandments seem heavy to them, while the true problem lies in spiritual weakness, not in the difficulty of the commandment.
Delay in divine response does not mean lack of love; it is part of God’s wisdom and plan.

Second: Doubt in the Family and Relationships

Doubt between spouses leads to interrogation, surveillance, distress, and may end in divorce.
Doubt between parents and children or among friends destroys relationships and turns individual cases into unjust general judgments.
The primary cure here is love and trust, for where true love exists, doubt disappears.

Third: Doubt in Oneself

A person may doubt their abilities, their service, or their ability to repent, leading to fear, hesitation, and despair.
Faith, however, teaches us not to doubt God’s power working within us, even when we ourselves are weak.

Fourth: Sources and Danger of Doubt

Doubt may come from satanic warfare, environmental influence, readings, conversations, or doubtful companions.
It is a contagious disease, easy to enter the heart and difficult to remove, and if accepted, it eventually becomes a permanent trait.

Spiritual Conclusion

Doubt is the result of weak faith, while faith grants peace, confidence, and strength.
As the Lord said to Peter: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
The true cure for doubt is faith, simplicity, closeness to God, and spiritual discernment.

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