Don't Let Doubt Take You OutSample

Doubting Yourself

When I think of a person who almost let self-doubt take him out, it’s a man in the Bible named Gideon (and no, this isn’t the guy who goes around putting Bibles in hotel rooms). Gideon goes from a frightened farm boy to a national hero in one chapter, but he had to step out of his comfort zone and into his calling. He had to listen to the voice of God even when doubt was shouting louder.

The story takes place in the Book of Judges at one of the lowest points in Israel’s history. The Israelites were being tormented by their enemies and the people of God had lost all hope. One day the Angel of the Lord came to Gideon (who was hiding in a hole) and said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior” (Judg. 6:12, NIV). Gideon had to be thinking “Who are you talking to? There’s no mighty warrior here.”

The angel told Gideon that God would use him to defeat the armies that had been oppressing His people for years. Gideon came up with all sorts of excuses, listing his faults and failures. But, Gideon became exactly who the angel said he would be: a mighty warrior that delivered his people from the enemy. Yet Gideon wasn’t that mighty warrior when the angel found him hiding in a hole. He was shaking in his sandals.

Many of us are like Gideon. We’re great at coming up with a list of excuses for not stepping out of the hole, and as a result, we never step into the life God has waiting for us. The true cost of doubt is not just the decisions we second-guess or the opportunities we miss—it’s the dreams God has planted in our hearts that we never pursue, the nudges from the Holy Spirit that we ignore because “it” seems so far out of our lane, beyond our comfort zone. But when we are consumed with our comfort, we will miss out on our calling.

Gideon learned an important lesson: Just as faith is not the absence of doubt, it’s also not the absence of self-doubt. It’s the choice to trust God in the middle of your doubt. Gideon knew he didn’t have the strength or power to defeat the Midianites. He knew he couldn’t do it on his own. But Gideon was not facing his enemy alone, and neither are you. God brought victory and freedom to an entire nation through a frightened farmer. But it wouldn’t have happened if Gideon had listened to the voice of self-doubt. If he had let fear forecast his future, he would’ve still been down in that hole hiding from the enemy. There will be times in the middle of your doubt that God will call you to step out and trust Him completely. He will put you in an impossible situation that might expose your weakness, but it will also reveal His strength. Billy Graham once said, “When we come to the end of ourselves, we come to the beginning of God.”

Here’s how you can leverage self-doubt to drive you to dependence on God, like Gideon:

Confess your doubts: There’s no need to hide your doubts. God already knows you have them. He’s just waiting for you to ask for His help. Gideon admitted his doubts openly, and it was his first step out of the hole.

Seek God’s wisdom: When you spend time in God’s Word, you are reminded of who God is—of His faithfulness and power—but you’re also reminded of who you are in Christ. Gideon didn’t have a Bible that day, but he listened to the Word of God spoken by the Angel of the Lord.

Surrender control: Gideon had to surrender control of his life to fulfill the purpose that was on his life. He couldn’t stay in control and trust God at the same time, and neither can you. When Gideon surrendered, he became the mighty warrior he was meant to be.

The world tells us that strength comes from self-confidence, power, and independence, but the gospel presents a different truth: Strength comes from acknowledging our weakness and depending on God’s strength. It is in our moments of self-doubt that we are most aware of our need for God, and it’s in those moments that His power is most fully on display in our lives. So the next time you find yourself wrestling with doubt, don’t see it as a weakness to be overcome but an invitation to draw closer to God.

Prayer: God, thank you that your power is made perfect in my weakness. Help me to rely on you as our source of strength and confidence. Thank you that the truest thing about me is what you say about me. Replace any lies that I’ve believed with the truth of who you say I am. Amen.