When You Doubt Yourself—and Even God
"And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’”
Matthew 14:31
I’m always praying that God will give me the inspiration, the idea, and the words to say exactly what He wants me to say.
I have a card in my office that I keep near my computer. It reads, “Lord, help me build the beginning of someone’s bridge to You through a kind word, a thoughtful deed, and a genuine, caring smile.”
I hope my words are exactly that–kind, thoughtful, genuine, and caring–but most importantly, I hope they are the bricks that are a part of the bridge that connects my readers to Jesus. It’s my constant prayer.
So, while we are diving into unpacking where God is when our doubt creeps in, I want you to remember that I’ve prayed over these exact words I’m writing. I am confident that God is giving me the words to say that you may end this week’s newsletter with more of His presence in your heart.
Doubts of All Shape and Size
Doubt can take many forms, but two of the most common struggles are self-doubt and doubting our faith in God.
Self-doubt whispers that we’re not enough—unqualified, incapable, or failing in the roles God has called us to. It makes us question if we have what it takes to be the parent, spouse, friend, or believer we long to be.
But then there’s the doubt that feels even heavier—the moments when we question God Himself. Is He really with me? Does He really have a plan? Can I truly trust His promises when life feels uncertain?
If you’ve wrestled with either of these, you’re not alone. The Bible is full of people who doubted—yet God met them in their uncertainty with grace and truth.
Silencing Self-Doubt
While out for a recent afternoon walk, I considered this upcoming topic and what personal stories I want to add and share with you. As my mind hovered over the word doubt, a list of doubts I’ve had over the years began spilling forth as if I’d unlocked a gate that held them all at bay.
Thoughts about my professional aspirations, such as, “I’m not good enough to publish a book. I’ll never be able to have the writing career I want. I don’t have a large enough platform, I’ll never be able to succeed in this industry.”
Thoughts about myself as a mom, “I’m not doing a good enough job with my kids, I get too impatient and short with them, I’m probably ruining them.”
And thoughts about myself: “I’m not good enough. My mistakes and past regrets make me undeserving of what I have now.”
For those of you who know me personally, you’re probably near shaking your head in disbelief and saying to yourself that none of these are true. This is exactly what we say to others when they admit their own self-criticism and doubts. But each of us carries within us a list of self-doubts, and while they most likely sound ridiculous to our friends and family, they are very real to us.
Where do these thoughts come from? Are they rooted in truth, or are they lies we’ve come to believe?
Lies.
They are lies of all shapes and sizes, whispered to us by an enemy that wants to throw us off course, burden us with doubt, and reshape the narrative in our head, aiming for us to forget the truth of God’s love and forgiveness for us.
Silencing self-doubt starts with clarity around the thoughts we have about ourselves. We must discern the lies from the truth and have peace in the mercy and grace God has granted us, holding fast to His love, which covers all of our imperfections.
Moses and the Fear of Not Being Enoug
Self-doubt is sneaky—it convinces us that we’re not enough, that we’re unqualified, or that we’ll never measure up.
But when we take a step back, we have to ask: Are these thoughts rooted in truth, or are they simply fear disguised as fact? When we look at Scripture, we see that even the people God called to do incredible things wrestled with doubt.
One of my favorite examples of self-doubt in the Bible comes from Moses, a man who struggled with insecurity yet was called to lead God’s people. I love Moses’ story because it reminds me that even those called by God wrestle with doubt—and that God meets us in our weakness.
Though God called him to something incredible—leading the Israelites out of slavery—Moses didn’t see himself the way God did.
When God spoke to him from the burning bush, telling him to go to Pharaoh, Moses’ first response wasn’t confidence—it was self-doubt.
"Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?" (Exodus 3:11). He immediately focused on his weaknesses, questioning his ability to lead and speak. Even after God reassured him, Moses still protested, saying, "O my Lord, I am not eloquent... I am slow of speech and slow of tongue” (Exodus 4:10).
Moses’ doubts sound a lot like the ones we battle today. I’m not good enough. I don’t have what it takes. Someone else could do this better.
But God didn’t let Moses’ insecurities define his calling. Instead, He reminded him: "I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say” (Exodus 4:12).
Embracing the Truth
Just like Moses, we often feel unqualified. But our confidence isn’t based on our abilities—it’s based on God’s power working through us. “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.” — 2 Corinthians 3:5
If God calls us to something—whether it’s parenting, a career, ministry, or a personal challenge—He will equip us. "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” — Philippians 1:6
Self-doubt tells us we aren’t enough, but the truth is we were never meant to be enough on our own—Jesus is enough, and He fills the gaps where we fall short. “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9
When We Doubt God
We’ve talked about the doubts that plague us about who we are, but sometimes, our doubts go deeper. Instead of just questioning ourselves, we begin to question God. Maybe we wonder if He’s really with us, if He’s really listening, or if He even has a plan.
We pray and don’t see the answers we expect, or we face situations that leave us feeling lost and uncertain.
Doubt isn’t always a sign of weak faith; sometimes, it’s a part of the process as we wrestle with life’s challenges.
Just like with self-doubt, God doesn’t abandon us when we doubt Him.
In fact, He meets us in that struggle, just as He did with so many in the Bible. Their stories show us that doubt doesn’t disqualify us—it can be a space where we grow deeper in our trust of God.
Thomas – Doubting the Resurrection
"Unless I see... I will not believe." (John 20:25, NKJV). Thomas, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, doubted the resurrection. He wanted physical proof that Jesus had truly risen from the dead.
And while his doubt may have felt like a failure of faith, Jesus didn’t rebuke him. Instead, He invited Thomas to touch His wounds and believe (John 20:27).
Jesus doesn’t push us away in our doubt; He draws near and provides what we need to believe.
The Israelites – Doubting God’s Promises in the Wilderness
After God miraculously delivered the Israelites from Egypt, they still doubted His provision. When they found themselves in the wilderness without food, they grumbled and said, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7, NKJV).
They questioned whether God was truly with them, even after all He had done for them. And yet, God continued to provide for them, showing that His faithfulness is not contingent on their faith.
Faith in the Mystery
I’m so comforted to know that God isn’t afraid of my doubts or worried about my faith when I wrestle with life’s challenges or question God’s plan.
And I’m so grateful that He draws near to me, giving me peace, bolstering my belief, and reminding me of His promises. Even when I don’t have all the answers, He reassures me that His ways are higher and that I can trust Him, even in the uncertainty.
In those moments when I feel like I’m drowning in doubt, I’m learning to lean not on my understanding but on the truth that God’s presence is enough. He doesn’t ask me to have it all figured out. He just asks me to trust that He’s with me, that He’s working everything out for my good and His glory.
When my faith feels small, He gives me the grace to take the next step forward, knowing that my questions don’t have to have all the answers for Him to be faithful.
Reflect
Dealing with doubts–whether self-doubts or doubts in our faith—can be difficult, feeling like potholes in our paths.
But just like the gravel road I drive regularly, which has several potholes, we can learn to swerve around them–guarding our hearts and minds against the disturbances our doubts create along our journey.
We can put this into practice by replacing every lie with God’s truth.
Take a moment to honestly reflect on the doubts you’re carrying right now. Are there areas in your life where you feel unqualified, unworthy, or unsure of God’s plan?
Write them down or bring them to God in prayer.
What lies are you believing about yourself? What lies are you believing about God?
Here are some examples of the lies we often believe about ourselves, and the truth of what God’s word says.
Lie: “I’m not good enough.”
Truth: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10
Lie: “I’m unworthy of love and grace.”
Truth: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
Lie: “I have to do this on my own.”
Truth: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9
Lie: “God has forgotten me.”
Truth: “The Lord your God is in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” – Zephaniah 3:17
Lie: “My past disqualifies me from God’s plan.”
Truth: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
– 2 Corinthians 5:17
Lie: “I don’t have a purpose.”
Truth: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
– Jeremiah 29:11
Lie: “I’m alone in my struggles.”
Truth: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10
I encourage you to pray these scriptures over yourself and replace the lies with God’s truth.
Pray
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your unwavering love and patience with me. You see the doubts that weigh on my heart—the lies I’ve believed about myself and even about You.
Today, I bring them before You and ask for Your truth to take their place.
When I feel unworthy, remind me that I am Your workmanship, created for a purpose. When I question if I’m enough, remind me that Your grace is sufficient. When I fear the unknown, help me trust that Your plans for me are good.
And when I struggle to see You in the midst of my challenges, draw near and quiet my heart with Your love.
Lord, strengthen my faith. Help me to stand firm in Your promises, even when I don’t have all the answers.
Let Your truth be the foundation I build my life upon, and may my heart rest in the confidence that You are with me always.
In the precious and holy name of Jesus, Amen