When we are dealing with doubt (our own or that of other people) it’s good for us to remember these words from Jude 1:22 “Be merciful to those who doubt;” (NIV)

Being merciful means being gentle with people who have some doubt.  I always say where there is doubt, there is belief, so don’t mock and ridicule people who are doubting, including yourself. That is Satan’s tactic and the tactics of using sarcasm, shaming, mockery and ridicule are evil indeed.  Those tactics distance people from God, from Christ, from Godly People.  They are deceptive tactics bent on tearing good people down and apart.

Being merciful carries with it a portion of compassion, care, love, perseverance, protection, encouragement.  All of which help to build a person up in the knowledge of their own goodness and the knowledge that they are loved and worthy of care and protection from evil.  Being merciful has a portion of being slow to anger, like the Lord, but willing to admonish, correct and snatch people out of the pit of despair and discouragement.

When I contemplate the relationship Jesus had with his disciples, his friends and family it is so obvious that he was often helping them to overcome doubt.  Always encouraging them and also admonishing and teaching them about things to be wary of.  There are so many good stories in both the Old and New Testament about how people of God continually work on overcoming doubt about the goodness of God and the goodness of people in the human race.

We are all in this world together.  Almost every person I’ve ever met has had a desire to know they are loved and worthy of love.  I have met people who doubt the existence of God, or that Jesus is the Son of God, or that anyone can become a child of God, or about the existence of the Holy Spirit.  The one question I usually ask is, “Do you believe in the concept of love, not lust, not romance, but enduring love?”  Just about everyone has answered yes to that question.  I let them know there is a saying, a verse in the Bible, “God is Love”   (I John 4:16 NIV)

There are many people unfamiliar with this verse. It is a good verse to talk about.  And I think t’s good for us to read I John 4 from time to time.  I am closing this post without prayer today – but with these encouraging words,

 “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.”  (I John 4:7 NIV)

AMEN