DOUBT.  &  DESPAIR.
These are really LARGE words, ones that begin so small, deep down in our heart, planted like a small seed, embedded, way down deep into the recesses of our being.  Once the seed of doubt and despair are planted, these small seeds take root and begin to grow, stealing from us our…..JOY.  &   HOPE.   &   PEACE.
Moment by moment by moment by moment by moment…
DOUBT IS A LIE.
DESPAIR IS ALSO A LIE.
BOTH ARE UNHEALTHY FEARS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THESE ARE PRESENT REALITIES MANY PEOPLE CARRY.
And once they load them up, (day after day) placing them on their backs, they carry them for so long that, eventually, the burden becomes a “normal” weight.

• Carrying….for a BRIEF MOMENT, one that feels like ETERNITY,  (or)
• Carrying….for a SPAN of TIME, one where we are forced to digest the indigestible and oppressively difficult news, (or)
• Carrying….for a few YEARS, a time that GROWS LONGER with the dawning of each DAY, (or)
• Carrying….for a LIFETIME, for a string of calendar YEARS.

LIFE-CHANGING NEWS.
LIFE-STEALING JOY.
LIFE-HEAVINESS.
A LIFETIME of DOUBT  &  DESPAIR. 
And so, as these begin to push us downward, the questions begin to arise—unhealthy questions, those that magnify our situation, those that allow us to stay within the pit of doubt and despair, and those that steal our life-sustaining JOY.
Questions arise….such us—-
I don’t think I will ever get the education needed to reach my career goal.  How will I ever pay my bills and go to college at the same time?
I doubt she will ever change.  If she wanted to change, then wouldn’t she have changed already?
I don’t think he loves me like he used to (love me).  If he loves me, why does he treat me like this?
I doubt God is real.  If He is real, why did God let this happen?
I don’t think I’ll ever become pregnant.  We’ve tried for such a long time, and if God wants us to conceive, wouldn’t we already be pregnant?
I doubt he’ll ever alter his way of thinking.  Surely he won’t…..right?
I just don’t know what to think or believe anymore.  Can my life get any worse?
I doubt her situation will ever change.  Isn’t she the cause, the one who brought all this turmoil on herself in the first place?
I don’t want to live like this anymore;  I don’t even want to try.    My friends even probably wish I were dead, or a least gone from their lives.  Wouldn’t you agree?
I doubt healing can occur….it’s hopeless.  If God wanted to heal me, wouldn’t HE already have healed my body?
I DON’T……..
I DOUBT……..
DEEP DESPAIR.
DEEP HOPELESSNESS.
Where there is no Hope, all may remain forever lost.  
How do we know this TRUTH? BECAUSE….
Jesus Christ did not come to bring despair.
Jesus Christ came to bring HOPE to the hopeless situation;  LIFE to death;  LIGHT to darkness;  ETERNITY forever with Him to those who BELIEVE.
Let us not magnify our Doubt.
Let us not magnify our Despair. 
Let us not magnify our Hopelessness.
Let us (instead) MAGNIFY OUR GOD!!!
In the Bible, David knew something about turmoil, distress, fear, doubt, and despair.  Thankfully, David allowed God to lead him to healing.
What began as a Psalm of Despair and lost Hope—-became CHANGED to HOPE & Leading David to end with a Psalm of Praise to God.

"Save me, O God,
For the waters have threatened my life.
I have sunk in deep mire, and there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters, and a flood overflows me.
I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched;
My eyes fail while I wait for my God....

But I am afflicted and in pain;
May your salvation, O God, set me securely on high.
I will praise the name of God with song and magnify Him with thanksgiving....

Let heaven and earth praise Him,
The seas and everything that moves in them...."  (Psalm 69: 1-3 &  29-30. & 34).

Our Father is good….all the time.
Our Father has plans for our lives…..plans to bring us into His Goodness and out of our doubt and despair.
Let us stop voicing our doubt, our despair;  & Let us begin magnifying our HOPE, PEACE, & JOY FOUND ONLY IN OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
Thank YOU, GOD, for YOUR EVERLASTING HOPE, YOUR ETERNAL PEACE, & YOUR DEEP, SUSTAINING JOY.