Doubters Choose To Doubt

The verb to doubt can be defined as either to tend to disbelieve, distrust, or to regard as unlikely. Doubting implies challenging some notion of reality in effect, and may involve hesitating to take a relevant action due to concern that one might be mistaken or at fault. So a doubter can be someone who disbelieves, distrusts, or regards certain things as unlikely. They may doubt for several reasons, which could be: a challenge of something they are certain about or hold dear, and or they do not want to look bad in front of others.

For example, evolutionists and atheists doubt that 1. There is a God, 2. Creation can be immediate and out of things that did not exist before. Why? Because, they believe that only what they can feel and perceive is true. They also believe that things are created out things that existed before. They cannot see God and they cannot fathom the way in which God says He creates. Faith in God and His work challenges their belief. Since many consider God and His Word a myth they would look as fools in front of others if they chose to believe in God and His word. So, they choose to doubt, instead of heeding to their convictions.

Among those who profess to believe there are different kinds of doubters. There are those who doubt that God speaks to man. At any word from anyone that God has spoken to them they one of two responses: 1. squirm and look with suspicion, or 2. laugh deridingly. The first are as the Jews who considered the cross a scandal, the latter as the pagans who considered the cross foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:23). They accuse those who claim to receive God's word as being crazy.

Another type of doubter is the one who believes God speaks to man, but just not to you. Their favorite inquiry is, "How do you know it was God? Could it not be that you something and attributed it to God?" In most cases, they do not think God would choose someone with the weaknesses and infirmities you have. They accuse you of hearing your obsession, not necessarily His impression.

There is a subtle difference between the Solomon that prays in the Temple and the Solomon that writes Ecclesiastes. Both Solomon's are totally committed to God. However, the Solomon that writes Ecclesiastes is a man defeated by Sin, through his own bad choices. As he describes himself in this book, he searched for wisdom in all the wrong places, finding only sorrow and sadness (Ecclesiastes 1:13, 18). Why would God choose Solomon – an adulterer and idolater - to write a treatise that would be included in His official correspondence to mankind? Was not Solomon at this point a man of many weaknesses and infirmities? And yet, who are we to question God? Does He not know all things? Are we not merely finite creatures that see through a dark glass? Who are we to judge Solomon's speck in the eye, when we ourselves have a tree log lodge in our eye socket?

As we shall see this type of reasoning – God will not use people with weaknesses and infirmities is faulty. It is obvious that Solomon at this point is a man that has repented. God has given Solomon a new heart. Solomon is willing to listen to God at this point. God speaks to those who are willing to listen. Sister White says that "Christ is ever sending messages to those who listen for His voice" (Testimonies to the Church, Vol. 4, p. 542). She adds in Desire of Ages,

The Lord will teach us our duty just as willingly as He will teach somebody else. If we come to Him in faith, He will speak His mysteries to us personally. Our hearts will often burn within us as One draws nigh to commune with us as He did with Enoch. Those who decide to do nothing in any line that will displease God, will know, after presenting their case before Him, just what course to pursue. (The Desire of Ages, p. 668)

Solomon was chosen to write to write this book because he was willing to listen. He took the lessons God taught him, and shared them with all of us. God uses those who are willing to be used.

There is another type of doubter. The kind that thinks God will not speak to them. Are you one of them? Are you listening to God or are you resisting God's communication with you? Are you like Solomon in his apostasy or are you as Solomon after his repentance? He speaks through His word, through nature, and through each other. Do you doubt His words because you doubt His methods or messenger? How long will you kick against the pricks (Acts 9:5)? How long before you soften your heart and yield to your conviction of submitting to the Word of God? How long before you stop doubting? Why not choose today?

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