Posted by PS on May 14, 2003 at 01:14:39:
In Reply to: A question of trust posted by Fiiiyer on May 13, 2003 at 11:53:00:
All of you have given so many great responses to this situation that we all struggle with. I can add one insight, which does not address a specific issue nor success in a specific situation:
My doubts, my temptations, and my flaws are ever with me and never really disappear--I just focus a lot less attention on them as time goes on. As they lose their power to captivate our attention, they lose their power to control us. A deaf man is not startled by sirens all around him, nor a blind man by flashing lights.
Once you accept that your condition is normal, you don't fixate on it, and you aren't nearly as handicapped by it.
If the disciples had understood the power of Jesus' words when he said, "Let us go over to the other side," the storm would have been only a nuisance. (See Mark 4:35, Luke 8:22, Matthew 8:18.)
Once you understand the power working on your behalf, your doubts seem more like nuisances than real setbacks.
Thank God you have been chosen and you do believe... or you wouldn't even have the chance to be bothered with such doubts! ;-)