Today is another glorious day as we seek to Make Space for God together. As I write this, I am sitting outside listening to the birds and marveling at God’s creation.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep and the Spirit of God hovered over the waters (Genesis 1)

What a beautiful earth God created. He then created Adam and Eve, companions, made in His image. They enjoyed perfect fellowship with God. But there was a glitch in the system… there was a moment of doubt in Eve’s mind that God was withholding His best from her.

And Satan came slivering along bringing doubt…

Did God really say you must not eat from any tree of the garden? Now Satan knew that is not what God said but he first had to find a way to enter into a dialogue with Eve to begin to stir in her a distrust of God.

Eve answers:

Of course, we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God DID SAY you must not eat from the tree that is in the middle of the garden or you will die. 

Oh.. says clever Satan- You will not die. God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing evil and good. 

Do you see where he was going? First, get Eve to talk about it; then get her to think about it, and finally get her to doubt that God’s intentions were good and that He was holding out on her.

And you know the rest of the story. She ate it, gave it to Adam, and they were banished from His Presence. The good news was that God had a plan to bring them back– and that was through His Son!

Doubt. It creeps in first by working into our thought life– by having us question whether or not God really said something; by having us think that God is withholding something from us. Actually, God was protecting Eve, but that story is for another time.

Paul writes that we must take our thoughts captive. Our thoughts will drift easily to places of doubt. But as believers, we renew our minds daily with God’s Truth. He reminds us that we are beautifully and fearfully made in His image to enjoy His Presence. We have not been banished from the garden of His Presence. He sent His beloved Son to ensure this. He does not hold out an apple of temptation. But he does remind us that He is God and we are not and Father knows best.

So next time doubt comes creeping in, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth. Remind yourself that God has sent His Holy Spirit to guide and direct you and His path is safe.