My mind wanders… a lot. That can be useful when I’m brainstorming. It is a problem when I’m seeking answers. It isn’t odd for me to look at something only to be reminded of something else and go off searching for information on that. Technically, I do find answers, but not what I’m looking for. Those distractions are bad enough, but there is another type that I, and others, suffer from that can be much worse. One good thing, if you can call it good, is that the source of these distractions is the same for everyone, doubt.

I have a list of projects that I am considering starting or am working on here and there. Some are just busy work that I use to hone my skills or because an idea tickled my fancy. Others are projects that have a wider reach. Of the two, the ones with the wider reach suffer the most from doubt. Would others agree on the usefulness of this site? Would anybody else get this? Am I just wasting my time? Those are just a sample of the questions that can run through my mind, and they keep me from focusing on the project.

Now, I want to make this clear, asking these questions might be helpful, but only in the proper context, which I usually do not use. I’m looking for reasons to stop working in order to feed a fear (that fear is based on pride, which makes the situation even worse). If I were asking these questions to clarify what I am doing and to check my work, then they serve a purpose.

Doubt rears its ugly head when we are trusting in our own abilities rather than in God. I am totally fallible, which means I could be wrong. God cannot be wrong. Who would be better to fully trust?

I have spent a lot of time hiding behind doubt and calling it humility. True humility admits my shortcomings, but recognizes that God steps in to bridge the gap. Doubt is the belief that even God can’t fix the problems. Father, help my unbelief. (paraphrase of Mark 9:24)