Difficulties Concerning Doubts

Chapter 9

Moses was on Mount Sinai 40 days and 40 nights. The people already had the law stating THOU SHALT NOT HAVE ANY OTHER GODS BEFORE ME (Exodus 20:3), and yet God informed Moses,

“‘They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a cast metal calf, and have worshiped it and have sacrificed to it and said, ‘This is your god, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’” Exodus 32:8

This week we are in chapter 9 of The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life. This chapter left me feeling a little uncomfortable; not because it’s not true, but because Hannah Whitall Smith wrote as if she were Moses on his first trip down the mountain with the ten commandments. She left no room for excuses to the person who struggles with doubt. Like the Levites, she took up her sword and shredded anyone who falls short in the faith department (Exodus 32:37). But in her approach, she got her point across. Our modern-day theology graciously indulges those who struggle with doubt while at the same time deals harshly with those who struggle with sins we think are more shameful (e.g. alcoholism, drug addiction, sexual sins, etc.). If we were to categorize sin—and we don’t want to make a habit of doing that because a sin is a sin. But indulge me, which is worse: not believing what God says or struggling with an addictive behavior? Smith shares her thoughts when she writes,

In the sight of God, I verily believe doubting is in some cases as displeasing as lying. It certainly is more dishonoring to Him, for it impugns his truthfulness and defames His character. John says that "he that believeth not God, hath made Him a liar" (1 John 5:10). It seems to me that hardly anything could be worse than thus to fasten on God the character of being a liar!

The sin of doubt is like Israel’s golden calf. It is a creation of the mind looking for a quick fix or explanation for our troubles rather than waiting on the Lord. Doubt is a self-comforting or a self-medicating practice we use to dull the pain of our unbelief.

When we struggle with our identity, that is to say who God says we are in Scripture, are we not on some level denying what God says is true? If one believes they are not worthy after having received Christ, and yet He makes it clear they are worthy, how does one come to terms with that? And how do we respond to the one struggling? 

In this chapter Hannah challenges us to encourage and exhort those who are struggling with doubt. And she gives us a strategy for overcoming those doubts. But you’ll have to read the book to discover her applications. 

By the way, Smith closes her chapter with a heart-felt and tender invitation to the reader. I don’t want to misrepresent Mrs.Whitall Smith as an uncaring person. Her motivation is the reader’s transformation and victory.

Here are some more questions to help you think through the chapter and even have a conversation with a friend.

Thoughts and Questions for Interaction

• “Doubt is a luxury” is a phrase introduced by Whitall Smith in chapter nine (bottom of page 105 in the edition we gifted at Christmas). How is doubt a luxury that requires self-denial as much as an addictive vice?  

• Explain what the author means when she writes, “Your very sinfulness and unworthiness are your chiefest claim upon His love and care.” (HINTS: the sick and the lost sheep). 

• How is Smith’s strategy to overcome NOT like an addict quitting cold turkey? 

• Are there any doubts that are stunting your growth? Could you share this chapter with a trusted friend and ask for their prayers and accountability to overcome? 

Difficulties Concerning Guidance

This morning in staff meeting Karen facilitated a discussion on chapter 8 of The Christian's
Secret to a Happy Life. Thank You Karen!

Chapter 8 

In this chapter, Whitall Smith addresses the challenge that faces every follower of Christ who desires to surrender his own will to the will of God; that is, how do we know what is God’s will for our lives? A desire to obey God’s will can often be derailed by doubt and uncertainty because as Whitall Smith posits, we 

“have not yet learned to know the voice of the Good Shepherd.” 

Based on the conviction that God promises his Divine Guidance (James 10:3,4) and in His knowledge and wisdom, He alone knows which path is best for you, Whitall Smith suggests four means by which God reveals His will to us: 

1. through the Scriptures, 
2. through providential circumstances, 
3. through the convictions of our higher judgment, and 
4. through the inward impressions of the Holy Spirit on our minds. 

First and foremost, God’s guidance comes through His Word. Our first course of action whenever we are seeking God’s guidance is to “search out and obey the Scripture.” Whitall Smith warns,

“Until you have found and obeyed God’s will as it is therefore revealed, you must not ask or expect a separate, direct, personal revelation.” 

However, on those occasions when God’s Word does not provide clear guidance on a specific situation, Whitall suggests we can discern God’s will in the other 3 ways. She explains how God guides us through the conviction of our judgment. This involves the enlightenment of our human judgment, otherwise known as our common sense, by the Spirit of God. We can use our common sense to judge a situation in harmony with the principles of God’s Word. She adds He also leads us through providential circumstances where He goes before us and opens a way for us (John 10:4). And then she finishes describing how He guides us as His Spirit impresses upon the mind “a wish or desire to do or to leave undone certain things.” Whitall Smith warns that since God does not contradict Himself, then all four means will always be in harmony with each other. 

As we actively and doggedly seek the Lord’s guidance and remain steadfast in our faith, we can be sure that God will guide us. If in doubt about a course of action, it is better to wait upon the Lord until He gives more clarity as to what He desires of you. But at the end of the day, it is vitally important that we trust the Lord because “God cannot guide those souls who never trust Him enough to believe that He is doing it.” 

Thoughts and Questions for Interaction 

• Can you recall a time when God revealed his will concerning a situation in your life? 

• Which of the ways mentioned above did God use to guide you in that situation?

Difficulties Concerning the Will

Today's post is brought to you by Pastor Nick Willke. Thank you brother! And CONGRATULATIONS to all the Willke's for the birth of baby Archie… so excited to have a new neighbor. 

Chapter 7 

“But there is nothing here which will not be very easily overcome when the Christian once thoroughly understands the principles of the new life, and has learned how to live in it. The common thought is that this life hid with Christ in God is to be lived in the emotions, and consequently all the attention of the soul is directed toward them, and if they are satisfactory or otherwise, the soul rests or is troubled. Now, the truth is that this life is not to be lived in the emotions at all, but in the will; and therefore, if only the will is kept steadfastly abiding in its center, God's will, the varying states of emotion do not in the least disturb or affect the reality of the life.” 

This is a powerful statement that is not only hard to realize in our lives but hard to let go, and to not let our emotions take over and fully govern our lives, and our relationship to Christ. Especially when living in a culture that says we should do what we feel is right, or trust what our heart and feelings are telling us. Our emotions are important, and it is crucial to understand them and recognize why we feel what we feel. But to allow our emotions to control and decide how we view ourselves, and let that determine how God views us will lead to living a defeated Christian life. 

“The secret lies just here—that our will, which is the spring of all our actions, has been in the past under the control of sin and self, and these have worked in us all their own good pleasure. But now God calls upon us to yield our wills up unto Him, that He may take the control of them, and may work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. If we will obey this call, and present ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice, He will take possession of our surrendered wills, and will begin at once to work in us "that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ," giving us the mind that was in Christ, and transforming us into His image (see Romans 12:1-2).” 

 

The author is right here with this verse from Romans 12, it is so crucial to have our minds transformed and renewed so that we know what God’s will is for our lives. It is a will that is not controlled by our emotions or how we feel, because that will change just like tides ebb and flow.

 

THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS FOR INTERACTION 

• Do your emotions control you? Do you evaluate the success of your day based upon how you feel moment-to-moment? 

• How are you giving your mind opportunity to transform so that you can understand God’s will for your life? 

• What words or phrases from William Hill’s letter were helpful to you? Why? 

• How can you change your life to allow it to be centered in our will, and through hat will our actions would be dictated by our will and not our emotions?

We All Need A Helper

CHAPTER 6

When Christians are faced with difficulties, temptations, trials (take your pick) Hannah Whitall Smith exhorts and encourages us to stop using phrases that suggest we have no hope. For example when we are struggling with a broken relationship it is easy to think or even say, “I have no hope this will ever turn around.” Smith suggests we teach ourselves to eliminate these thoughts by reconstructing the phrase to say, “I have no faith (or hope or trust) in… God.” She reminds us that Sovereign God is in control and ultimately He would be the one in whom we are losing hope. Even as I wrote that phrase down I felt the weight of self-incrimination; how could we ever blame God? The author is correct when she says the phase will “become so dreadful to you, that you will not dare to continue it.” 

Whereas this practice may serve as a good defibrillation of our soul, the Father does not transform us by using the shock of shame and guilt. Hannah goes on to explain how we must apply God’s truth to grow faith by looking outside ourselves for the Holy Spirit’s help in overcoming all of life’s difficulties. 

It wasn’t until my college years that I finally learned that every struggling student who wants to advance must learn how to communicate their need for help to teachers, to those who are experts in the field of their study, or to their classmates who have recently grasped their own understanding of the subject matter. This lesson was not readily applied in my own personal journey because I did not like the implications. My belief was 1) the help I needed was not available to me, 2) I would be found out not to have all the answers, and 3) I was not convinced that the added uncomfortable work would bring the desired results in the end. 

Some Christ-followers who struggle to mature beyond their initial conversion, may be holding onto similar thoughts when it comes to their faith—I know I did. As a young believer I thought asking God for help would: 1) force me to do something too uncomfortable, unpopular, unnatural, and ultimately unavailable to me, 2) mean having to remind myself constantly of my short-comings, and 3) require me to believe that the alternative to my way of doing things would be better and less work than His way. 

If this is the way you are thinking, I encourage you to read through chapter six, reconsider God’s desire for you, and then trust Him as you cry out for help. 

Act on His truth. Believe what He says. Grow in faith. 

THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS FOR INTERACTION 

Our greatest problem is resolved by our response to God’s greatest remedy. We all had fallen short of God’s glory because of sin. But then we realized that forgiveness of sin was found by believing in Jesus Christ as Savior (His death on the cross becomes the substitute for our punishment when we believe). Our belief in that is our faith resulting in our salvation. 

• As Christ-followers we believe the above paragraph. Get together with a fellow believer and share how different your future is today because of the truth above. 

• Think about and jot down some current problems you are experiencing. Maybe you are struggling with finances, or broken relationships, or failing health… there are endless possibilities. 

• Now read again from page 74, 

“…remember that ‘though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations’ (1 Peter 1:6), it is only like going through a tunnel. The sun has not ceased shining because the traveller through the tunnel has ceased to see it; and the Sun of righteousness is still shining, although you in your dark tunnel do not see Him”  

and answer this: How does this tunnel illustration help you have faith, hope, and trust in God despite your difficult situation? 

• Pray with your believing friend for the Holy Spirit’s help in the journey of growth He is leaning you in.