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by Rhonda Rhea in Leading Hearts magazine

I REMEMBER PLAYING THE “WE’VE GOT-FIVE-KIDS” VERSION OF THE GAME “CLUE.” Who did it? Never just a whole lot of doubt there: It was the toddler—in the family room—with a permanent marker.

We held our things and furniture and carpets and walls all pretty loosely in the days of raising kids, though it was still tough not to get just a little bent out of shape when yet another lamp would bite the dust. It still amazes me that no one knew who broke it or how it happened. Except that I do doubt.

And it wasn’t just the kids doing the demolition. One time a kitten clawed his way from floor to ceiling on my newly painted wall. He was halfway down again before I pulled him off. I’m pretty sure I saw his life flash before my eyes. Is that a thing that can happen? Because I might’ve seen it nine times.

On the spiritual side of life, I have room for even fewer doubts.

Believe it or not, doubt is much more destructive than five kids and a cat. It has a way of grabbing onto our joy and fruitfulness and sort of clawing it up from floor to ceiling.

The enemy wields doubt.

He’s been effectively using it as a weapon since the fall of man. As a matter of fact, it was his weapon of choice in the initiation of the fall in the first place.

“Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1, HCSB). He started the dialogue by casting doubt.

Then gradually when she least expected it, he worked his way down to overt denial of the truth and goodness of God. With a twist of God’s words and a brazen lie, he told Eve, “No! You will not die,” (verse 4, HCSB).

The enemy still uses doubt as a weapon today. He knows if he can get us to waffle in our trust of God, he can render us weak and worthless as far as accomplishing anything for the kingdom. We essentially stay out of his way and off his turf when we’re wrapped up in disbelief.

So what do we do when there’s a flash of doubt?

Or nine? We grab onto faith and we practice trust. Doubt will curl up and die as our faith and trust grow through embracing God’s Word and letting it reveal to us more of who He is.

Paul tells us in Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” (NKJV).

The more we know Him—really know Him—the more our faith and trust grows. Doubt dies. Here’s where we get a clue: It’s God—in your heart and mind— with His Word.

If you find yourself in a struggle with doubt—and any time you’re feeling a little weak or shaky in your faith—latch on to God’s Word and its truth.

Make it part of your every day. Let it impact your life by the proof of the power of God at work. This, my friends, will leave a permanent mark on your life.

Which is, without a doubt, infinitely better than permanent marker on your curtains.