God is with you and there is no doubt about it.
This statement sums up Sunday’s sermon, entitled “Big Stanleys” on November 11, 2025.
The sermon takes a look at Exodus 17:1-7 when the Israelties were complaining to Moses that they had no water to drink as they traveled in the desert after their escape from Egypt.
Based on this story, we can tell ourselves that when we are in a crisis, we can fall into a pattern of doubting God’s presence, and the panic we go through can lead to disobedience.
But the assurance is even when I doubt the presence of the Lord, He is always with me.
Our pastor looked at four truths about doubt that can help us understand God when we fall into doubting.
These truths are:
Your doubt is the real crisis.
Your doubt has to be dealt with.
Your doubt doesn’t stop God from still being there.
Your doubt can be a distant memory.
In looking at the first statement, which is your doubt is the real crisis, we have to diagnose our own doubting heart.
Bad beliefs lead to bad behavior. The Israelites are a bad example about doubting God’s goodness and provision. They were demanding, they blamed Moses, and they fell into despair. They respond with absolute hopelessness–no faith.
God’s people put God on trial. They prosecute Him and charge Him with abandonment.
When we look back at the doubt in our life, we need to ask ourselves, what do we believe about God? We interpret our situation like the Israelites, as if God has abandoned us.
In contrast, faith says God is here even when we doubt His existence.
The second truth, which is your doubt has to be dealt with, leads us to think about our behavior.
If you’ve settled into disbelief, then you move into disobedience. Our job is to get to the bottom of our disbelief.
If we are bowing, and worshiping God in corporate meetings, if we are bonding, and meeting together in community with other Christians, and if we are building, and getting involved in leadership in ministry or missions, then we can abide with God when we doubt.
The key is to bring your doubt to God so He can change your thoughts. In that way, you deal with your doubt, and you can ask God to give you faith.
The third truth about doubt in the sermon is your doubt doesn’t stop God from still being there.
In the midst of the Israelites doubting about God’s provision, God tells Moses, “Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” (Ex 17:6)
God took their judgment and showed His people His presence. Symbolically, the rock that Moses struck with His staff is Jesus. Jesus is the Rock that reassures us of God’s presence.
Jesus is the Rock who can take away the judgment of the people. The cross is the work of God. We can look at the cross to see the outpouring of God’s grace. Go to the rock and strike it. Jesus took on our judgment and stands as the judge and the provider of grace.
The fourth truth about doubt is your doubt can be a distant memory.
Even when the Israelites doubted God, He was still with them. In their failure, God is faithful.
Abide in the presence of the Lord. Stay on the right path, the Rock is with you.
The promise of salvation is in God’s hands, and He will deliver on His promises.