Conquering DoubtSýnishorn

Practice Thankfulness

Every Sunday, my family pauses to do family devotions (or what one of my daughters called them when she was 4, “demotions”). We read through a kid’s Bible study, ask questions, pray, and sing worship songs. But my favorite part of family devotions is when we do the thankfulness jar.

All four of us get a slip of paper and a colored marker, and we write down the things we’re thankful for from the last week. We add our names and the date and then share them with each other. After we all have our turns, we fold the paper in half and slip it into a big mason jar with a slit on the lid. It’s been a great way to dwell on God’s love and work in our lives, and it’s fun to see the thankfulness we share build up in that jar over time.

The antidote to many of the doubts that can darken my life has been an intentional movement toward dwelling on all I’m thankful for. In a real sense, thankfulness renews your mind and refreshes your heart in ways that make it nearly impossible to ruminate on doubt. Paul David Tripp puts this astutely in his book, Suffering: Gospel Hope When Life Doesn’t Make Sense:

“It is exactly at the point when you are tempted to think that you’re not blessed that counting your blessings is the most important. A thankful heart is the best defense against a doubting heart. . . . As a defense against doubt, it is really important to give yourself to quiet moments when you look at the trail behind you and what is now around you for evidences that God is good and worthy of your trust.”

Believe it or not, doubt is a normal thing in the life of a Christian. Just like Israel, we are incredibly forgetful of the miraculous ways God has worked in our lives. We can always bring our doubts to God and trust He’s big enough to handle them … because He is! So when you doubt (not if, but when), move toward God, not away from Him. You’ll find He’s ready to receive you with open arms.

In all likelihood, there are multiple examples of God’s provision, presence, and care you could probably recall if you took the time to think about them. And after you remember, rejoice. Praise God for how He’s worked, and watch your focus shift from dark doubt to bright thankfulness.