Uncertainty may be remedied by gaining assurance from God's word, remembering God's past goodness, reflecting on his power and appealing to his unfailing love. Believers should help the weak with the patience and encouragement that reflects God's own compassion.
Doubt dealt with by holding on to God's truth
Gaining assurance from God's word
Psalm 119:147; 1 John 5:13 See also Psalm 119:116; John 20:31; Romans 15:4; 2 Peter 1:19
I rise before dawn and cry for help; in Your word I have put my hope.
I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
Receiving correction and understanding through God's word
2 Timothy 3:14–17 See also Psalm 119:130; Proverbs 6:23; 1 Corinthians 10:11
But as for you, continue in the things you have learned and firmly believed, since you know from whom you have learned them. From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.
Avoiding idle speculation
Ephesians 4:14; 1 Timothy 6:20–21; 2 Timothy 2:16, 2 Timothy 2:23; Titus 3:9
Doubt dealt with by meditating on God's works
Remembering God's past deeds
Psalm 77:10–20 See also Deuteronomy 7:17–19; 1 Chronicles 16:8–12 parallel Psalm 105:1–6; Psalm 22:4–5, Psalm 74:12–17, Psalm 143:5; Isaiah 46:9; Matthew 16:9–10
Commemorating God's deeds
Exodus 12:14 Religious festivals such as Passover provided a permanent reminder of God's past goodness to his people. See also Deuteronomy 16:1; Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24–25
And this day will be a memorial for you, and you are to celebrate it as a feast to the LORD, as a permanent statute for the generations to come.
Reflecting on divine power
Matthew 11:4–6; John 10:38, John 14:11
Doubt dealt with by trusting
Trusting in God's unfailing love
Psalm 6:2–4 See also Psalm 42:8; Isaiah 49:15–16, Isaiah 54:10; Jeremiah 31:3–4
Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am frail; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are in agony. My soul is deeply distressed. How long, O LORD, how long? Turn, O LORD, and deliver my soul; save me because of Your loving devotion.
Trusting in God's presence
Genesis 28:15 See also Exodus 3:12; Deuteronomy 20:1; 2 Chronicles 20:15–17; Psalm 42:11, Psalm 73:23–26
Look, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Trusting in God's strength
Isaiah 41:10 See also 1 Kings 19:6–8; Isaiah 40:28–31, Isaiah 43:2
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Remembering God's concern for the weak
God's compassion for the weak
Ezekiel 34:16 See also Isaiah 42:3
I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the broken, and strengthen the weak; but the sleek and strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them with justice.’
God's grace to those with doubts
Exodus 5:22–6:1 God responds to Moses' uncertainty by promising a demonstration of his power. See also Numbers 11:21–23; Judges 6:39–40; John 20:27
Pastoral concern for those who doubt
Being patient with doubters
Jude 1:22 See also Romans 14:1–4, Romans 14:15–17, Romans 15:1
And indeed, have mercy on those who doubt;
Encouraging those with doubts
Judges 20:22; Job 4:3–4 See also 2 Chronicles 32:6–8; Isaiah 35:3–4, Isaiah 40:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:2; Hebrews 10:23–25, Hebrews 12:12
But the Israelite army took courage and again took their battle positions in the same place where they had arrayed themselves on the first day.
Surely you have instructed many, and have strengthened their feeble hands. Your words have steadied those who stumbled; you have braced the knees that were buckling.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.