The other night as I was brushing my teeth, I found myself saying, "God, help me to have unshakable doubt."?!? As quickly as those words exited my mouth, I realized what I had just said. I meant to say UNSHAKABLE FAITH, yet what came out of my mouth was unshakable doubt.

NICELY DONE JOANN.

See friends, you and I don't need any help having unshakable doubt. We're doing just fine in that category, thank-you very much. What you and I need help with is having and standing in unshakable faith. No matter what.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, Faith is
"Complete trust or confidence in someone or something"

Doubt comes easily to us...atleast it does to me.
It takes intention, attention, and effort to maintain faith.
I have to work out regularly (meaning daily) to strengthen my faith muscles. If not, they atrophy rather quickly.
Can you relate?

Faith is a lot like planking (you can read about that here). It requires action. Someone else planking is not going to help me look and feel better. I need to do it. And the truth is, everyday that I do it, I get stronger. But to be completely honest, there are days when I don't and many days when I don't "feel" like it. When there are more check marks in the "did not" column, I find myself having to rebuild the strength I once had. Sound famliar?

Faith asks you each moment, "are you going to quit?"
It also invites (and/or challenges) you and I to take One. More. Breath. One. More. Step.
Doubt, on the other hand is easy peasy.
It takes little to no effort. Whether I work at it or not, it's always there. Always the same happiness robber.
As one analogy reminded me, doubt and its twin worry are like sitting in a rocking chair. Yes, you are doing something but you are going no where. And we wonder why we look and feel the way we do. Feasting on junk food is never going to make us healthy.

Faith is nutrient rich. Doubt is full of empty calories.

Faith requires preparation. Doubt is convenient. Very convenient.

Faith costs us something (our pride, our comfort, our understanding). Doubt is free. 100% free with all of the bells and whistles.

Faith moves us forward. Doubt paralyzes us in "what if."

Faith challenges us. Doubt confuses us.

Faith believes BIG. Doubt plays small if at all.

Faith declares. Doubt demands.

Faith motivates. Doubt manipulates.

Faith sees with our hearts. Doubt is blinded by our (physical) sight.

Faith takes action. Doubt makes excuses.

Faith can and will. Doubt can't and will never.

Faith resurrects. Doubt buries.

Faith engages us. Doubt entertains us.

Faith unleashes our potential. Doubt undermines our very being.

Faith is designed to bring out our best. Doubt imprisons us into the hell hole of our past mistakes, failures, faults, flaws, and all.

Faith believes in the impossible and invisible. Doubt won't believe it until it sees it.

Faith. Doubt. Doubt. Faith.

It's a constant struggle; a constant challenge.
It's an invite every single day to choose our dance partner in life-one is notorious for stepping on (our) toes, being out of rhythm and is uncoordinated while the other is full of grace, elegance, and right on time.

Unshakable Faith. It's something I need. Daily. Perhaps it's something you need too. It is certainly something that can benefit us all.

My slip of the tongue the other night reminded me of the importance of getting my "I" checked regularly. For when I don't, I find myself straining and squinting to see the blessings of life; sometimes seeing (or fabricating) things that are not there; or missing out on the beauty that is present.

Faith opens our "I" while doubt closes it.

Faith say, "we're in this together" while doubt says, "you're on your own buddy. See you when you fail."

Faith. Doubt. Doubt. Faith.
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I have faith that I doubt and sometimes doubt that I have faith. Maybe you do too.
My hope and my prayer is this:
May you and I be people with unshakable faith strengthened by the love of our unshakable God.
No other way. No other one. There is no other.