Doubt
Pope Shenouda III speaks about the danger of doubt in a person’s spiritual life, explaining that doubt is one of the strongest wars used by Satan to weaken faith and shake confidence in God’s love, care, and promises. A person may doubt because of long waiting, fear, surrounding circumstances, or the influence of others, causing him to lose his inner peace.
Spiritual and Educational Dimension
Pope Shenouda III explains that God is always working for His children and preserving them even when they do not clearly see His work. True faith does not depend on the senses or external circumstances, but on trust in God’s promises and His divine attributes of love, compassion, and care.
Biblical Examples of Doubt
Pope Shenouda III reviewed several examples from the Holy Bible such as Adam, Gideon, Rebekah, Abraham, Sarah, Peter, and Mary Magdalene, showing how doubt sometimes led to disobedience, reliance on human means, fear, or murmuring.
Results of Doubt
- A person loses his peace and joy.
- It leads him to fear, anxiety, and disturbance.
- It makes him forget God’s previous works with him.
- It pushes him to rely on human solutions instead of depending on God.
- It may lead him to many mistakes and sins.
The Way to Overcome Doubt
Pope Shenouda III emphasizes the importance of holding firmly to faith and trust in God no matter how long trials last or how delayed the fulfillment of promises may seem. He also confirms that previous spiritual experiences with God help a person remain steadfast and not fall into doubt.
Examples of Strong Faith
Pope Shenouda III presented examples of people filled with faith such as the Prophet Moses and the Prophet David, who relied on their previous experiences with God and their complete trust in His power, and therefore did not allow doubt to enter their hearts.
The Spiritual Message
The believing soul is the peaceful soul that completely surrenders its life to God and trusts in His love and care without hesitation. Surrendering to doubt opens the door to fear, weariness, and anxiety, while faith grants the heart comfort, steadfastness, and peace.
Conclusion
Pope Shenouda III calls the believer to resist thoughts of doubt and continually hold to trust in God, because God is faithful in His promises and continually works for the salvation of His children, even when a person does not understand His way of working or His timing.
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