Getting stuck in Doubt

What do we do when God doesn't show up like we want. What happens when we pray and pray for something only to feel that our prayers have fell on deaf ears? I can say that doubt was never an issue for me until Autism showed up in our family. I can say , I had faith like a child . What happens when life gets ugly and we get thrown the hard questions ? Where is God in Autism? Hard questions give birth to doubt, cause when we doubt we give ourselves an answer to questions that we may not otherwise get . It may not be an answer we like but at least it is an answer.  Doubt comes when whats "right now " doesn't feel right ! Doubt comes when our time tables don't line up with God's .  In John 20:19-29 , After Jesus had died on the cross , the disciples were scared and confused and in hiding. In their hour of need Jesus shows up and says "Peace be with you ". The disciples were overjoyed and ran to find their friend Thomas to tell him the good news that Jesus was alive, yet Thomas was in a dark place and didn't believe. As a mom with a child with autism ,Autism can be a hard place, I can find it easier to stay home with curtains closed  away from the world of judgmental stares and comments, but just like the disciples , God has work for us to do in this world and hiding from the world is not the answer. He says "Peace be with you , As the father has sent me , I am sending you ."  Thomas was just like you and me , He had heard the word and seen the great works of the lord but his present circumstances were holding him in doubt. It is easy to want to give up , however when you wake up the next morning, I assure you, your problems are still going to be there to face you except you won't have Jesus to help you through. It is okay to have doubt , as long as you don't get stuck. Allow yourself to be open and honest  about your doubt . Share your fears with your family. Some may feel if you vocalize that doubt out loud that God will strike you down . He won't ! When you talk about your feelings and share your concerns it allows people to come along side of you and speak Gods truth into your life , as you may be in such a dark place that you can't see it for yourself . When you get stuck in doubt you start to cut out the people who can help you the most. I know I have . When I get down and lose faith , I find it hard to go to groups, or church as I am just to down to hear God's truth when in reality that is what I need the most. You want to surround yourself with people who will tell you what you want to hear not what you need to hear. When you get stuck don't isolate yourselves , cling to the people who can help bring you out of it and point you to God. Thomas was not only hiding , from the Jewish leaders , he isolated himself from his fellow believers . Thomas was not their the day Jesus first showed himself to the disciples, and even in his doubt he persisted toward God and rejoined his friends and God came to them again and reveled himself to Thomas.  Thomas had to see to believe. Jesus says “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” The problem with Autism is that the "right now" in our lives may be ongoing for the rest of our earthly lives, we may never have the answers we seek. We may not know why our child who was developing normally until 18 months stopped , We may not hear our child say " I love you ", We may not know "Why me".  Our right now may be longer than others . Don't get stuck in the right now , their are seasons of life some harder than others, we may not see them coming , like a diagnosis of Autism. When we reach past our doubt , we can get to work on what God has in store for us . "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, they are plans for good, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (nlt) I can assure you God has a plan for you and your child , don't take your eyes off him! And we know God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them." Romans 8:28 (nlt) If you feel like you are always chasing a cure , stop running and face the darkness , God is right there with you he wants to show you something special , something you may have missed."The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. He rescues those whose spirits are crushed." Psalm 34:18 (nlt) Be reminded of his faithfulness in the past and remember he always shows up in your hour of need! 

*This was written from my notes on the sermon of Thomas by Steve Garcia.