In the next chapter in our class, “Battlefield of
the Mind”, we are studying about the condition of a doubtful and unbelieving
mind. This upcoming lesson reminds me of an allegorical poem by Edmund Spenser,
The Faerie Queen.
Faith goes for a walk in a forest named
Doubt. Faith becomes lost, and meets a person named Despair. Despair assures
Faith that he can lead her out of the forest of Doubt. Despair leads Faith to a
river called Suicide and tells her to jump in. Just as Faith is about to jump
into the river, Hope comes along, takes Faith by the hand, and leads her away
from Despair and out of Doubt.
How many of us wander through a forest of doubt everyday, grab
hold of despair, and follow him instead of hope? Despair's mission is to destroy
hope, and bring spiritual death to your faith. At this point the stage is set
for hope's entrance, but somehow hope is stuck in the wings. Perhaps we wait for
hope to gallop on to our stage as a knight on a white horse. Most often, though,
hope enters as a tiny spark which, when fanned into a flame, has the potential
to grow into great faith.
Doubt is a state of mind, but disbelief is a state of your
spirit. Disbelief is the result of spiritual death. Doubt hears Jesus knocking
at the door, and longs to open it. Disbelief doesn't even hear His knock
(Revelation 3:21).When despair pulls you down to the point of spiritual death,
and disbelief has overwhelmed your spirit, you forget that there is any
hope.
However, Jesus Christ died so that you might have hope! Consider
Jesus Christ as Hope in Spenser's poem. He is the Savior that comes as a still
small voice and speaks to your despair—encouraging you not to sink into the
depths of disbelief. If you allow He guides you away from spiritual death toward
a life of faith and belief in Him.
“Did I not tell you that if you believed, you
would see the glory of God?" Jesus asked Martha after raising Lazarus from the
dead (John 11:40). Hope takes Faith by the hand, and leads her away from Despair
and out of Doubt. Jesus waits for you to place your hand into His wounded one
and trust Him. Don’t follow Despair around in your forest of Doubt. Despair will
lead you to the river and tell you to its all over. But Faith will build a
bridge and speak hope to your promise. Reach up and grasp Jesus' wounded hand,
and believe.
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