Doubt - it's a confusing feeling. Think about the last time you doubted a situation, doubted a person, doubted intentions. The insecurity and loss of self assurance is profound. As much as I hate to admit it, there have been many times in my life when I have doubted. I have doubted one's love for me. I have doubted the work that I have done. I have doubted my level of faith. And yes, I have doubted my Lord. I am not proud of those moments of doubt, but they are a part of my sinful nature.
Today, we read about Naaman. Naaman was a soldier servant to a king. Naaman had leprosy and was told by his servant girl that he should go to a prophet of the Lord for healing. With permission of his king, he went. Naaman's expectation was that the prophet would come out of his house and with "a magic wand" sort of event, he would be healed. That is not what Elisha (the prophet) did. Elisha told Naaman to go to the Jordan and dip himself in the water seven times - and by those actions he would be healed. Naaman was disappointed with the words of Elisha and headed back home, not dipping himself. Naaman doubted what Elisha told him.
Naaman's servants convinced him that he had "nothing to lose" by going to the Jordan. So Naaman went, and as you would expect, was healed. With humility, Naaman went back to Elisha said said the words that are stated above, "Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel." Naaman teaches us much in this small story.
As I've shared, there are times when we doubt things in our lives. When those times arise, just like Naaman, I tend to figure out how I can take things into my own hands. When the doubt involves lack of recognition (whether in emotion or work), I can fall into self-pity. When the doubt settles into prayers that are unanswered, I can fall into a lack of praying and focus on what "I" need to do to fix things. As you can imagine, my ways are never the right ways.
What Naaman teaches us is to never doubt what God can give us - for His intentions are always right and true. It may not happen in the way "I" intend it to happen, but it happens in God's correct and right way. If we should doubt, let us come back to our God with humility and thankfulness. How grateful we are that God forgives our sinful nature of doubt and brings us back to His righteousness. Lift your doubt to God - He will bring you healing!
"Heavenly Father, thank you for the example of Naaman. As I see how doubt can be rooted in may different situations, help me to always turn to you, God. By your strength, by your direction, and by your love, lift my doubt and bring me to eternal healing in you. In your gracious name I pray, Amen!"
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