THE DANGER OF UNBELIEF
God has imbedded in me a dread of unbelief. This dread is the result of searching the Scriptures for examples of the dire consequences of unbelief.
I thank God with all that is in me for revealing to me the harm and ruin caused by unbelief. We believers have taken this matter too lightly, supposing God overlooks the doubting of those facing great affliction and hard times.
I once thought the Lord ought to give some slack to those facing seemingly hopeless situations. For example, the disciples in a sinking ship in a raging storm. My thinking was, “Lord, they are just human. They were overwhelmed by it all. It looked hopeless. It was just a human response.” Yet Jesus reprimanded their little faith.
Yes, there is a time to weep—when Jesus whispers lovingly, “Go ahead, cry; I bottle every tear.” There are grieving times; there are times when we are overwhelmed and we cry, “Where are you in this, Lord?” We serve a loving Father who is touched by our feelings. There are eclipses of faith when fears overwhelm us.
Yet we dare not linger on these fears and passing doubts—we must rise up and “trust in the shadow of his wings.” God has no pity for unbelief—and the whole of Scripture bears that out. It may sound harsh, but he will not accept any excuses. He grants no other option but faith.
Israel was given ten opportunities to trust God in dire circumstances. Every crisis was of the Lord’s doing. The consequence of their unbelief was forty years of hopelessness, confusion and grief. They missed God’s blessing, and he said they could not enter into a life of rest, peace and the great goodness of God because of their unbelief. God called unbelief evil. “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief” Hebrews 3:12).
Unbelief is mostly caused by neglect of God’s Word. Faith is impossible without a constant input of Scripture and a clinging to the promises.
I choose to trust God. I do not want “my carcass to die in a wilderness” as did the Israelites. God told me to “gird up your loins…cast all your cares on me…stop looking at circumstances…do not ask why anymore. Feed daily on my Word…memorize promises. Pray with confidence…believe with all your heart that God loves you…he has not forsaken you. Weeping endures for a night…joy will come in the morning.”
Whatever you are going through, even walking through the valley and shadow of death, God promises to be with you. Today, take a stand and start trusting. Your unbelief changes nothing—but faith opens the door to deliverance.
“Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou has wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues” (Psalm 31:19-20).