Overcoming Your Doubts~Hannah Whitall Smith

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding"

~ Proverbs 3:5

Do not give heed to your doubts for a moment. Turn from them with horror, as you would from blasphemy, for they are blasphemy. You cannot perhaps hinder the suggestions of doubt from coming to you any more than you can hinder the boys in the street from swearing as you go by; and consequently you are not sinning in the one case any more than in the other. But just as you can refuse to listen to the boys or join in their oaths, so can you also refuse to listen to the doubts or join in with them. They are not your doubts until you consent to them and adopt them as true.

Put your will in this matter over on the Lord's side, and trust Him to keep you from falling. Tell Him all about your utter weakness and your long-encouraged habits of doubt, and how helpless you are before it, and commit the whole battle to Him. Believe He is faithful, not because you feel it, or see it, but because He says He is. Believe it, whether you feel it or not. Cultivate a continuous habit of believing, and never let your faith waver for any [reason], however plausible it may be. The result will be that sooner or later you will come to know that it is true, and all doubts will vanish in the blaze of the glory of the absolute faithfulness of God!

Creating a Godly Atmosphere in the Home

"She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness"~Proverbs 31:27

"If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!" We smile as we read the plaque in the novelty store. But our smile quickly turns to a frown if truly "Mama ain't happy." This is because the wife and mother in a family often "sets the tone" in the home. The "tone" God wants her to set is one of joy, optimism, and a delight in the Lord and in her family. Most assuredly she "smiles at the future" (Proverbs 31:25)

If your family were called upon to describe you, what would they say? Would they report that you are a godly, Christian woman who loves life and loves her Lord? Or would they report that you are an unhappy, complaining, bitter woman?

If you do not have the "joy of the Lord" (Nehemiah 8:10), you can begin now to cultivate a joyful attitude. Find scriptures that point to the goodness and the works of God. Think about what the scriptures mean and how you could actually incorporate them into your life. Meditate on them so often that you commit them to memory. Actually "[sing] with thankfulness in your heart to God" as you go about your daily chores (Colossians 3:16).  Smile and share with other family members what wonderful things God has done for you and for them that very day.~Martha Peace