Page 20 - First Steps 2023

• A lack of experience
(I’ve not been a believer long Grace is more than just an acknowl-
enough to know Jesus well.) edgement that you need Jesus—it’s a
• A lack of biblical lifeline Jesus-followers cling to daily. Why?

knowledge (I don’t feel like a Because it’s oxygen your faith needs to
keep breathing. Consider this insight
Christian.) about grace from a fellow Jesus-follower:
• Doubt may also be an If and when a horror turns up, you
attack from Satan, who uses will then be given grace to help you.
deceit and confusion to create I don’t think one is usually given it in
doubt. advance…life has to be taken day by day
and hour by hour. —C. S. Lewis
But as uncomfortable as Experiencing God’s grace isn’t some-

doubt feels, God can use it. thing you do once and then tick off your
Our doubts point out a weak- checklist. You walk in it constantly, every
ness in our walk with Jesus, time you stumble and come to God for
and can prompt us to deepen forgiveness. Every time you feel lost and
ask for help getting back on the path. As
our understanding. Doubts can a Jesus-follower, experiencing God’s grace
nudge us to pray and ask for is something that becomes who you are.
God’s help finding resolution.
So don’t be afraid of doubt—it’s a signal to dig deeper.
But do respect doubt, because left unresolved it can fester into dis-

couragement… and discouraged disciples are miserable disciples.
Consider the following diagram. It describes the normal Christian
life—steadily trending upward, but now and then experiencing emotionally
low times.
You first come to know Jesus and it’s a high point (A), but as the emo-
tion of that encounter wears off you feel discouraged (B). Then you see Je-
sus acting in and through you and your enthusiasm returns (C) only to be

followed by a disappointment of some kind (D). Then…you get the picture.
It’s a picture of a growing friendship with Jesus, of the ups and
downs experienced with him as your trust in him grows stronger.

19