Pausing doubt.

I don’t even know how long ago the leaders at our church taught a sermon series about doubt.  The ideas from that series have rattled around in my mind for months – maybe a year.

Which means that by now it’s trickled into regular thoughts and both morphed and grown from what I originally heard.  In other words, I won’t be quoting anyone but myself today because my memory is not that well versed in word for word accuracy.

There is this idea of saying to doubt, “Wait right here.  I’ll be back later.”

You know – putting this fear – this unknown – the questions I have no answers for and actually don’t have to answer just yet – I am putting on hold.  

I’m talking about the big questions.  The ones about divorce or about all the bad things that are allowed to happen or the ones about injustice or false accusations, about how the plans of God work themselves out in real life.  Those kind of big questions.  (And a decent handful of medium sized questions too.  How will all this financial stuff work out?  What should I be aiming for in my future?  Will we ever actually find a new house to live in?)

Kind of like saying – “I know you are there, Big Question.  I see your little creepy face.  I hear your tricky reasoning and I sense your pitfalls, the trap door and the No Exit sign.  I see you, Doubt.  However.  You can just sit right there.  Stay seated.  I’ve got some other things to worry about first.  I’m not talking to you right now.”

And then to just leave that question there.

Unanswered.

The puzzle sits there.

Unsolved.

Right now, at this moment, I have no idea how to answer that question / solve that mystery / fix that problem / save that sinking ship.  Right now, I’m more likely to mess it up and answer with something I would regret so I am just keeping quiet.

Being still and letting the Lord fight for me.

Putting a pause on doubt.

Not because the questions are unanswerable.
Not because the truth is unfindable.
Not because my future is not secure.
Not because the questions are wrong.

Just because, right now, those questions and my scurrying for probable answers is far more distracting to regular life than helpful to regular life.  More a nuisance than a help.   Creating struggle instead of fostering peace.

Sit tight, all you questions.

You will be answered.

Wait a bit, mysterious puzzles.

You will be solved.

Back down, heavy handed situations.

You will be handled.

Not today.  Not right now.

But your time is coming.

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