When Believing Get's Hard

Studying a lot this past week.  Talking about a lot of stuff.  Just a nugget here, John the Baptist, giving up his entire life to usher in Jesus' ministry and kingdom, finds himself in jail.  In just a minute he will lose his head on a platter over a party favor.  This man is labeled by Jesus as being the greatest man to have ever been born of woman (nice props).   Until that day, the greatest man that ever lived.  Yet John found himself despondent, alone and with little hope.  He was looking for Jesus' kingdom to take over the world, yet Jesus had a different approach.  John's incomplete revelation caused much frustration within himself.  In his moment of despair, John reaches out to his sidekicks and says:
 

¹ Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.  ² And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples ³ and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”  Matthew 11: 1-2

John in his greatest moment of despair, did not just complain or run away from the issue, instead, he went TO Jesus.  The Lord surely wants all of us to walk in a sincere and deep abiding faith.  This said, it is no surprise that the Lord often finds His children in much doubt.  The reality is not If we will come into a place of doubt, but WHEN.   Jesus does an interesting thing.  To the accusers, Jesus shows no signs.  To the government officials and unbelievers Jesus does no miracles or long soliloquies about how REAL He is.  The unbeliever that is insincere and the accusing, Jesus knows He cannot win.  But John in desperation, in sweat and blood and fear, looks up from his dank jail cell and says, "Jesus, You are the One we EXPECTED aren't you?!!"  And what does Jesus do for this doubting brother?  He takes a minute from His speech and heals the sick, restores sight to the blind and raises the dead....then sends John's disciples back and says in essence- just reassure him, I'm the ONE.  Jesus is so good.  He won't address the accuser or the cynic, but the doubter, he will make an effort to encourage.  If you find yourself in doubt today about where God has you, or why you are there, try to do what John did....send for Jesus- He will meet you there with confirmation.

PS....John never got let out of prison, but lost his head.  And Jesus commends him as a mighty prophet who was faithful til the end.  Do we want comfort or to complete our destiny?

Stuart