Working Through Doubts in Prayer
Psalm 73: Grown up prayer
Psalm 73:16-17 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, 17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.
Psalm 73 is a prayer by a disillusioned, deconstructionist, post-modern emo guy (“Asaph”) who is struggling with his faith. How do we deal with our doubts? Are doubts even okay in the Way of Jesus?
Our culture would tell us that doubt is good. Only smart people doubt. It’s intellectually superior to be a people who questions, is skeptical, and is cynical of any belief, dogma, or faith.
Many Christian circles would respond by criticizing doubters. “Don’t doubt,” they’d say. Don’t question, don’t think. Just blindly accept everything God says, everything you’ve been taught.
But while the world says “Doubt is good”; and much of the church says “Doubt is bad,” I believe the Bible says, “Doubt is human.” It’s something we will all go through. God is not surprised when we doubt, and the Bible is not unfamiliar with doubt. Doubt is normal.
Working through doubts in prayer
In Psalm 73, the psalmist works through his doubts by entering into the “sanctuary.” This “holy place” is where he finds the answers to his questions and doubts. Instead of running away from God, he runs to him. Here are some tips for working through your doubts.
He enters the “holy place,” seeking God’s presence through prayer. Understand that God is not foreign to doubt. Doubt is normal, and God is ready to hear them. He wants to walk through them with us, and help us come to a deeper understanding.
He comes to the sanctuary, bringing his problems with him. Why would we go to God? Because some problems are so big that only he can solve. Often the reason why we doubt and run from God, is because we’ve forgotten that he’s good—and that he wants to bring renewal to our broken lives. Instead, we should boldly come before God, holding all our baggage with us.
He encounters YHWH, whose presence is all he needs. Ultimately God’s presence is the answer to the doubter’s problems. Some questions, after all, won’t be answered—at least not right away. The real question is who will walk through those problems with us? God is that person. He wants to be present in your life.
He emerges from that moment, with a new perspective on the world. The psalmist in Psalm 73 works through what he “sees” (v3) around him, in light of now being “with God” (v23). It all makes sense now. His perspective of the world has been reshaped in the presence of God.