I Believe in God, but I'm Not So Sure About the BibleSample

Does it really say that?

Sometimes we begin to doubt the integrity of Scripture when we think it says something that it actually does not.

In this passage from Luke, a disciple named Cleopas is disillusioned by the death of Jesus. We can see from his response that his expectation of what the Messiah would do was not in line with what the Scriptures prophesied. He had applied his idea of what the redemption of Israel would look like. When Jesus was crucified, Cleopas’ belief in Jesus as the Messiah was shaken, and he revealed that he didn’t really understand the Scriptures after all.

Sometimes this doubt is born out of a personal or culturally based misunderstanding; sometimes, the enemy sows it into our thinking. Remember that old serpent in Genesis 3? His crafty questioning led Eve astray, and before she realized it, she was distorting the actual Word of God through her interpretation. Nothing good came from that!

It is so very important to know God and His Word intimately. If we read or hear something that doesn’t line up with our understanding, we need to first return to the Scriptures and investigate what it says. When we make assumptions or jump to conclusions based on partial understanding, doubt and confusion will follow.

Ask Yourself:

How do you respond when something in your life doesn’t go the way you expected? Are you tempted to doubt what God has said? What kind of impact does that have on your faith?

Pause to Pray:

Father God, forgive me for allowing unmet expectations and limited perspectives to sow doubt and confusion in my heart. Deliver me from disillusionment in __________________. Teach me again what your Word truly says.

Take a Next Step:

Ask God to remind you of a Scripture passage that makes you feel uneasy; that appears to teach or endorse a practice or behavior you may disagree with. Spend some time studying and praying, seeking fresh revelation on how you may have misunderstood or misinterpreted the passage.