Page 20 - BMIN191 Beginnning Internship

20 Beginning Ministerial Internship: Student Manual

1.2.2 Many ministers find their effectiveness derailed by the emergence of a wrong
OBJECTIVE heart. For some, it is a momentary period of slipping off course; for others the result
Identify scriptural examples is a long trek downhill. In this lesson, we will look at some of the characteristics of
of a doubting heart, a proud the wrong heart and how we can avoid the destruction that comes from it.
heart, and a resentful heart.
A Doubting Heart
1.2.3
OBJECTIVE The Heart Defined
Summarize the importance A doubting heart is more than an uncertain heart. An uncertain heart seeks
of turning away from a direction, but a doubting heart rejects the direction it has received. To doubt is to
doubting heart, a proud call into question what one has received. When applied to our spiritual journeys,
heart, and a resentful heart. the doubting heart demonstrates reluctance to follow the path God has revealed.

Faith believes that God will do as He has spoken. Some operate from a
more dangerous definition of faith—the belief that God will do what I want or
deem that I need Him to do. Guided by this definition of faith, they live in the
expectation that they can have what they want if they believe hard enough. But
this is not the faith to which God calls us. Biblical faith knows God will fulfill
His Word, even when the results are not yet evident and if they are different from
what we want or feel we need.
9 How would you describe To doubt, then, is to call into question the promises of God, such as His
the difference between abiding presence, His promise of eternal life, His commitment to build His
uncertainty and doubt? church, and many more. The minister who cannot trust God to fulfill what He has
promised will cut a very jagged path for others to follow.
Biblical Examples
There are many examples of doubt that peppered the disciples’ lives as recorded
in the Gospels. Chief among them took place at sea, amidst a violent storm
(Matthew 8:24). Though several in the boat were accomplished seamen, none could
match the peace Jesus displayed as He slept in the bottom of the boat. Panicked,
they shook Him awake, asking if He cared that they were on the verge of dying.
After calming the storm with a mere sentence, Jesus chided them for their
lack of faith. But if they had faith, what would it have looked like? How should
they have reacted? Some might think that they should have commanded the
waters; after all, they are children of God. Or perhaps they should have ignored
the water and pretended they were not in trouble at all.
These responses, while extraordinary, would not demonstrate biblical faith.
Likely, the response Jesus criticized was the panic and assumption of His lack
of concern. Had they possessed sufficient confidence in Jesus, they could have
responded with peaceful hearts and simply ask that He help them. But doubting His
love and concern for them led the disciples to a panicked, demanding response.
Others demonstrated doubt at the words of Jesus or the ancient promises He
was fulfilling before them. Each time, the doubt brought a storm of anxiety and
took the doubter farther from the peace God promises to those who trust in Him.
Not all lack of faith is an expression of doubt, but when those who know what
God has promised fail to trust Him, doubt is usually the culprit.
Evidence and Results
James writes that a doubting heart is as unsettled as a wave on the sea, tossed
about by the winds (1:6). It is interesting that this is the first issue James tackles
as he teaches the scattering church. To doubt is to shift between following or
trusting God and relying on oneself.