Luke 1:18-22
And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

Whereby should Zacharias have known these things that were told to him? Because the messenger of God came to him with these glad tidings. Because God is able to do all things, no matter our shortcomings or limitations. Because God works out His will through us by His own power and ability. The doubt of Zacharias left him speechless. His unbelief hurt him in his life for this time, even as God’s plan to give him a son still went forward.

The Word of God is given to us, and whereby shall we know that it is true and that all will come to pass as He has said? Because God is trustworthy. Because God is faithful to keep His promises. Because God is unlimited and is able to do all things. Because God is a sovereign God who brings His will to pass in this world. Because when God says something, we don’t have to doubt. We can trust Him fully.

We can also be sure that our doubt and unbelief can hinder and hurt us in our lives and in our walk with God. We may not be stricken dumb like Zacharias was, but maybe we do miss out on some blessing or opportunity. Maybe we are stricken with some physical ailment. At the very least, our fellowship with God can be broken for a time. What are your areas of doubt and unbelief? And how can you learn to simply believe God? Are you willing to set aside pride, to set aside your own thoughts and ideas and to take God at His word?