Driving Out Doubt

By Doug Ford, DVM, Production Animal Consultation, & Greg Quakenbush, DVM, Geissler Corp.

It was a typical Saturday morning with a few minor exceptions. I had just completed my hunter safety classes, summer vacation had begun, and I was packing the crown jewel of every autonomous sixteen-year-old, my learner’s permit. Nobody had it better than me! Little did I suspect that my perfect, carefree Saturday morning was about to become one of my more enlightening life lessons.

Dad had arranged for him and me to spend most of the day attending the self-proclaimed prestigious William D. Ford Advanced Driving School/Boot Camp. An intensive, fatherly, hands-on course designed to provide real-life battlefield conditions while systematically deflating my sometimes more than confident attitude.

At 0700 sharp, we saddled up into the family’s 1965 Ford Falcon Country Squire with genuine imitation wood panel decals in all the right places. We could not buckle up back in the day because there were no seat belts. She was a proverbial grocery grabber and a babe magnet all rolled into one. Our preflight inspection was diligently completed, and we cheerfully headed east for the “big city”. Dad’s ultimate goal was to provide the personalized skill set necessary to make me a safe, capable driver while honing the attributes of confidence and humility.

Class began with several basic turning, stopping, and starting exercises. Situational drills designed to break the ice before plummeting headfirst into deeper waters. As expected, I confidently and rather perfectly completed every daunting task with no fear or anxiety. Much like a college physics class, each assignment was designed to become more complex as our day progressed.

Mid-morning found us heading down an on-ramp connected to three lanes of traffic in each direction. The goal was for me to move left across all three lanes, then safely and confidently return to the right lane at the next exit. I recall feeling like a lone sardine in a sea of vicious, hungry barracudas. Four exits later, mission accomplished. All in a day’s work, right?

On to the next big challenge. Until that day, I had never thought about the anxiety created while turning left at a busy, multi-lane intersection. Keep in mind, this was before the days of left turn green arrows. Somewhat intimidated, Dad advised me to cautiously pull out into the middle of the busy ocean of cars and big delivery trucks to wait for that perfect moment. Overwhelmed, I sat a bit terrified in the middle of the intersection as the yellow caution light was about to turn red with traffic soon to be coming from the other direction. Out of nowhere, Dad blurted out, “Go now!” but in that defining, critical moment, I had somehow killed the engine and became awkwardly stranded in the intersection. In a Tom Selleck, cowboy hero to the rescue maneuver, Dad somehow miraculously reached across from the passenger seat, started the car, put his left foot on the gas pedal and his left hand on the steering wheel, and gracefully salvaged my aborted maneuver. I was shaken but not broken.

Reluctantly, I felt compelled to advance to the next challenge, parallel parking. The gory details of this experience are still too painful to recollect. The line of backed up cars, pedestrian onlookers, and my dad’s escalating impatience. Strategically, this was to be the day I would be introduced to the dirty liar called “Doubt”.

To this day, if I have to parallel park, I drive out of my way to avoid a potential repeat of my first humbling experience. My justification? I drive a four-door ¾-ton pickup with my vet box, a rig far too big to maneuver even on a good day. That day, I was to learn that doubt can be a crippling seed and if allowed to germinate, grow, and flourish, it will overtake and can even destroy a life. Doubt is a coward and never travels alone. He is always accompanied by his first cousins: insecurity, fear, suspicion, indecision, distrust, and skepticism. Other well-known relatives are confusion, apprehension, guilt, shame, and selfdeprecation. All which ultimately lead to the sin of faithlessness.

At first glance, Satan and his companion Doubt seem harmless enough, but like a virulent virus, they are patiently waiting to kill, steal, and destroy the host.

If honest, all of us have had a weak moment of uncertainty, giving doubt the open door of opportunity. Fortunately, God’s word offers multiple preventive and therapeutic remedies.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me.

Hebrews 10:35 Therefore, cast not away your confidence for it has a great reward.

A confidence, trust, credence, and conviction generated through Christ, his word and the cross, not self-proclaimed arrogance, conceit, egotism, and superiority.

Thankfully, God’s word is always consistent resulting in change, maturity, resolution, and assurance. Every experience here on earth is perfectly designed and orchestrated to bring welfare, hope, and a future. Not calamity. Lessons come one bite at a time, and each bite bears knowledge, wisdom, and discernment, all designed to develop spiritual maturity. Awareness, discipline, and commitment are key.

Over time, I have learned that even a lessthan-perfect driving lesson can create merit, clarity, confidence, spiritual maturity, healing, and growth.

The universal antidote for doubt is God’s word. Thank you, Father, for continuing to hone, develop, and generate awareness through your Holy Spirit. Thank you for wonder-working peace and confidence through you.

Digging Deeper

Doubt is a universal condition that has afflicted all of us at one time or another. Is doubt dangerous? Can it be positive? What about doubt and its relation to faith and belief? Both are crucial to Christianity. From where does doubt arise and how do we manage or overcome this potential confidence cancer?

One might be surprised to find that many of the key characters and heroes in the Bible, especially during some of their low points, behaved in such a way as to make the “Who’s Who” list of doubters.

• Jesus’ disciple, Thomas (John 20:24-29) –Thomas doubted the bodily resurrection of Jesus and made the statement that he would not believe until he placed his fingers and hand into Jesus’ wounds. As a result, Thomas made the Hall of Fame and forever would be known, outside of the Bible, as “Doubting Thomas”. This label, in some respects, gives us an incomplete view of Thomas. He was always seeking to understand Jesus and would often ask questions that the other disciples declined (John 14:4-5). Thomas shows us the disconnect that can exist between faith and doubt. He additionally demonstrates the result of defeating doubt and living fully in faith. History and tradition say that Thomas was martyred while spreading the gospel and establishing a church in India. Obviously, his doubting days were far behind him.

• Jesus’ disciple, Peter (Matthew 14:28-31) – In another familiar story, the disciples are out in their boat in a raging storm. Late at night, they encounter Jesus walking towards them on the water. The Lord invites Peter to join him on the water. Peter walks on the water, towards the Lord, until he takes his eyes off Him and sinks. In Matthew 14:31, Jesus asks Peter, “Why did you doubt?” Great question, why did Peter doubt?

• Abraham and Sarah – In Genesis 17-18, we have Abraham and Sarah both being told that they would give birth to a son, Isaac, through whom God would establish His covenant. Abraham was almost 100 and Sarah was 90. In Genesis 18, Sarah heard the news of this prophecy as she was eavesdropping from an adjacent tent. When Sarah overheard this news, she began to laugh to herself as she was far beyond childbearing age. Sarah was called out on her laughing (doubt) and insisted that she did not. While both Abraham and Sarah had their doubts about this supernatural pending birth, the Lord challenged Abraham (Genesis 18:14) with the question, “Is anything too difficult for the Lord?”

• John the Baptist (Matthew 11:2-5) – “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Doubt arose in the camp of John the Baptist either by him or his disciples regarding if Jesus was the Messiah. At this time, John the Baptist was in prison and Jesus was meeting strong resistance. John sent his disciples to ask Jesus this question. Jesus responded in verse 5 (LSB): “the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” Regardless of who initially asked the question, Jesus did not rebuke John or his disciples for inquiring. Jesus did tell John’s disciples (Matthew 11:6 NLT) “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.”

  Sisters Mary, Martha and brother Lazarus were dearly loved by Jesus. Jesus was away in another town and received word that Lazarus was sick. Upon hearing of Lazarus’ illness, Jesus purposely delayed two additional days before departing for Bethany. Upon His arrival, Martha (and later Mary) lamented to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21, 32). Lazarus had died four days earlier and had already been wrapped and buried in a tomb. By now, a large group of mourners were present and witnessed Jesus raising Lazarus back to life from the dead. Obviously at this moment, doubters and non-believers were hard to find. Jesus consoled and encouraged Martha regarding what she believed and made this monumental promise (John 11:25-26): Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.” Amazing promise. Do you believe or doubt?

The preceding list is only a sample as many champions of the Bible had dealings with doubt. Moses, Zechariah (John the Baptist’s father), Gideon, Elijah, Job, the disciples, and many others would need to be included. One of my favorite Biblical stories involving doubt (nonbelief) involves a common man whose name is not even mentioned. Mark 9:16-24 (NLT) tells the story of a dad seeking Jesus to heal his demon-possessed son.

“What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked. One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”

Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

“How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.

He replied "Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can."

“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes. The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

The frustration and honesty of the father is real and palpable. He has faith, yet he acknowledges that he has doubts also. Is his faith adequate? The one part that he gets right in this quick self-evaluation regarding his faith is that he comes up short, realizing that there is more to be had. He recognizes that Jesus is the source of faith and requests His help in growing stronger and building upon that which he already possesses.

It seems a bit odd that doubt and faith would have any connection or relationship. Doubt can provide evidence that faith exists or at least some faith is present. If one were to have no faith at all, then there would be nothing to doubt.

In Hebrews 11:1 (LSB), the Biblical definition of faith is given as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Said another way, faith is being assured that promises made (i.e., hope) will be kept and so that one can remain confident in things that cannot be visibly seen.

Given that spiritual faith exists outside of our physical ability to see and touch, what a great place for doubt to come in and become sand in the gears. Given the realm of the unseen world, doubt is always right and sometimes a bit arrogant, because who is there to prove him wrong? That is, until faith grows stronger or becomes tangible and moves from invisible to visible and promises made are materially realized. At that point, doubt evaporates and is no more. Ask Thomas.

Defeating Doubt and Growing in Faith

Doubt is a frustrating predicament. Satan will use doubt to make us question the truth of what God has said or promised in the Bible. Satan may also use doubt to challenge our understanding of God and his character. For example, “If God is love, then why do innocent children die?” or another demonic favorite “How could a loving God condemn good people to hell?” The list, unfortunately, is endless. Satan loves to sow seeds of discouragement, doubt, and fear. Satan, who is the father of lies, uses his skillful manipulation of doubt to separate you from a relationship with God. That would be a “win” for him and potentially an eternal loss for you.

Encouragement comes from realizing that God can take doubts and use them to increase your faith. Consider the “Hall of Fame” mentioned earlier. Doubt has been described as a tension within faith. As doubts are confronted and addressed in our faith issues, a stronger core of faith and belief can be the result, similar to exercise building muscle.

How did all the many heroes of the Christian faith move from doubt to great faith? The key in defeating spiritual doubt lies in prayer and knowing truth. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” In this verse we see that faith is not our doing but God’s. He is the source of our faith (a gift), so it only makes sense to seek Him out in prayer with our desire for our faith to increase and doubts to be resolved.

Romans 10:17 informs us that “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” In this verse, the author is telling us that gaining truth (by hearing) builds faith and diminishes doubt. If one never heard about Jesus or never read the Bible, what faith would they have? What knowledge and promises of God would they be relying upon?

When all is said and done, seek God honestly in prayer, pursue truth and understanding through the study of His word, and surround yourself with others who seek to know and live truth. Defeating doubt and walking in faith is not an individual sport but one that does best with a supporting cadre of like-minded friends and family.

James 1:5 ESV If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

Doug Ford, DVM is the owner of Beaver Creek Veterinary Clinic in Brush, Colorado. Doug earned his DVM degree from Colorado State University. Brush, Colorado has been his home since graduating from Colorado State. Doug’s practice has been remarkably diverse over 40 years of veterinary medicine. Dogs, cats, cow-calf, feedlot, two sale barns, and spaying thousands of heifers for grass. The last 20 years of practice has been 50% large western dairies and 50% beef cattle (spaying, cow-calf, and feedlots). In 2005, Doug was given the privilege to become one of the six founding members of PAC. Doug and his wife Jan ranch in their “spare” time. They are also heavily involved in a wetlands development project on the South Platte River near Snyder, Colorado. Doug’s dad used to say, “Get your grades up. Do you want to grow up to be a ditch digger?” Doug had no idea how much fun it would be to play in the dirt with dozers and track hoes. He feels truly blessed and believes that the best days are yet to come.

Greg Quakenbush, DVM is a 1978 graduate of Colorado State University and spent 16 years in large animal practice in Porterville, California. For 19 years, Dr. Q worked for Zoetis (Pfizer) and was Director of the US Cattle Technical Services team. Since 2013, Dr. Q has worked with the Geissler Corporation assisting in the development of new veterinary diagnostic technologies. Dr. Q enjoys Bible study, shooting sports, fly-fishing, and being a part-time farmer growing citrus and nuts in the central valley of California.