59 - Doubt & Deconstruction

Is doubting your faith and God wrong? Are we expected to have an unwavering belief as Christians? Join us as we search the scriptures for examples of doubters and see how God responded to them. We also talk about the right and wrong ways to test the scriptures and our faith. Learn about the core problem of the deconstruction movement and how it can quickly lead to deconversion in Christians.

Contact the Exhorter Podcast

• Email us at media@clovischurchofchrist.org
• Find us on Facebook or Instagram

Thanks for listening!

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:05

Welcome to the Exhorter podcast, where it is our aim to stir up love and good works through bite-sized biblical conversation. John, today we're going to talk about something very relevant, aren't we?

Speaker 2 0:16

I think so, maybe for some, but yes.

Speaker 1 0:22

Something really relevant. Well, I've been hearing a lot about it, so it seems relevant to me.

Speaker 2 0:27

Yeah, no, it's something relevant to us. We've been studying a little bit about some of these topics lately. It actually kind of came up a little bit the other night in a Bible class and it got us thinking a little bit about it more and I think, yeah, we should talk about it. The subject was doubt and I think, well, the real question is not this question, but the first question I'd say is is it all right to doubt? Right Is doubting. When we say doubt, we're talking about in God, in God's scriptures, and belief in God, and is that okay? You know, what does the scriptures teach us about doubt?

Speaker 1 1:08

Yeah, does having faith mean that we're always rock solid and never wavering in our resolution to serve God?

Speaker 2 1:15

Yeah.

Speaker 1 1:17

Never once doubting that the outcome of a life of faithful service to God is heaven.

Speaker 2 1:22

Yeah, and maybe we'll come to the conclusion that you know, obviously we don't want doubt, but if doubt happens, then how do we address it? What do we do? So we'll kind of probably get more into the question of what do Christians do when they doubt, right, because I do think this is something we do. It's not whether or not we will doubt, it's when we doubt. What do we do about it?

Speaker 1 1:51

I think, unfortunately, most Christians I shouldn't say most, but many Christians when they have doubts, will repress. I don't want to be that person in my family, I don't want to be the one that speaks up, I don't want to be the one that doesn't seem like they have a smile on their face at church, so I'll just kind of ignore those thoughts and just keep going along with it. That's unfortunately what I think happens too often.

Speaker 2 2:16

So, specifically, I think we want to discuss maybe a more healthy way to approach doubts, because doubts are something that like like belly buttons we all got them yeah, and I'd say that times that we we talked about how that may be akin to the uh, in the four types of soil or four types of here, of the words, that might be those who. It might be rocky, they might be on the rocky soil where they, they hear it, they have lots of zeal, but maybe there's no growth and at some point in time they just by themselves fall away, maybe because they didn't address that doubt. So, yeah, let's go ahead and talk about this a little bit more. I think let's start first with whether it's okay to doubt, because there are some Bible verses that kind of give us maybe the feeling that it is sinful or wrong to doubt, and so let's talk about that first. That it is sinful or wrong to doubt, and so let's talk about that first.

Speaker 2 3:07

So maybe James 1, verse 6, where it says but let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed like by the wind. Or Romans 14, 23,. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith, for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin, kyle. How would you address this question and some of these verses that may be leaning in on the idea that it's sinful to doubt or one is wrong when doubting.

Speaker 1 3:39

I like that illustration in James, chapter 1, where it talks about the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

Speaker 1 3:48

You're struggling, You're constantly churning back and forth and you're unsure of things and unpredictable, and the point is that's no way to live. So this isn't saying you should never have doubts, but it is saying that you shouldn't ignore your doubts, Because if you ask and that's what the context in James 1 is if you lack wisdom, then ask of God, who gives to all liberally. But if you ask God but you do it with doubt, you don't do it from faith. Do you really expect that he's going to answer that prayer? Do you really expect he's going to provide for you when you don't really trust him to do that? So what he's saying is it's not wrong that you have a doubt. But if you have a doubt but you're still going through with things and praying and just going on as if everything's fine, but you have all these doubts and you're really inside, you're turbulent, like the tossing of the waves, then you need to fix that, you need to get some-.

Speaker 2 4:47

So be honest with yourself. If you have doubts, don't just kind of bypass it, but be honest and seek out the answers for those doubts so you can grow, so you can learn, so you can have them answered right.

Speaker 1 4:59

Yeah, and the list of people in the Bible that had times of doubt. It's a very lengthy list. I mean, of course, we think of Thomas, who was the doubter, which I don't think is fair. It's unfortunate that one moment in his life defines him. There were other times where he stood up and bravely said hey, I'll take up the sword and I'll die for you. Let's go to Jerusalem and let's die with Jesus. He had moments of great courage. But we think of Thomas the doubter because he had that moment. Where can you blame him? Thomas? Jesus is alive. No, he's not.

Speaker 1 5:39

It sounds too good to be true. I wish it were true, but I need to see and we can understand that that's relatable. So I don't think we should give Thomas a hard time. But we got Abraham and Sarah. Each of them laughed at different times. When God said that they would have a child, not by Hagar but by Sarah, they both laughed at it. Is that really possible to happen? Moses doubted that he was the right guy. God, I'm not your man. I don't talk very well. I've lived out here in the wilderness for 40 years. My moment was 40 years ago when I was living in Pharaoh's house. And I'm not your guy, go find someone else. He had his moments of doubt, david Elijah, if I'm the only one left, god just kill me now. You know, elijah had some moments like that. John the Baptist even sent a letter to Jesus and said tell us if you're the expected one or if we're waiting for someone else. Well, yeah, you should know that he's the expected one.

Speaker 2 6:39

He's not there baptizing in his name and still questioning his name and still questioning.

Speaker 1 6:43

Yeah, so it's a pretty lengthy list of people that had some doubts, but God doesn't zap them with lightning for having doubts.

Speaker 2 6:51

I think sometimes we see people like Joseph, though, where it doesn't seem like they had any doubts, like no matter what he was thrown at him. But then again, you know, time passed by while he was in jail. Time passed by while he was in jail, Time passed by while he was in a pit, Time passed by when you know, just because it's not recorded that he had doubts, did he ever question? Why me, Lord you?

Speaker 1 7:18

know. And what was in store for him is that when people take their doubts to the Lord, like Moses, questioning whether he was the right guy, god was getting a little frustrated. It seems like, yeah, yes, okay, I'll give you Aaron, you know he'll speak for you. Okay, yeah, but let's still choose someone else. What if they don't believe? Well, okay, put your hand in your coat and pull it out. It's withered. Put it back in. It's healed. Throw your stick on the ground, turn into a snake. Look, I'll do miracles through you. Now go and do what I'm telling you Moses.

Speaker 2 7:47

Yeah, or I mean David when he's lamenting in Psalms about the loss of his son, the loss of. They go through these moments where you see their doubt through their own words, but it usually turns them where it turns them towards God and towards the comfort from God or more understanding or wisdom from God. It doesn't necessarily turn them away.

Speaker 1 8:11

Yeah, one of my favorite stories about doubt is Gideon, because if there was ever a Bible character that to me seemed like they would be testing God's patience, it was Gideon. God told Gideon you are going to lead this army against the Midianites and you're going to be greatly outnumbered, like 300 against tens of thousands. And well, gideon was unsure about that. Is this really going to work? So the people are still too many Judges. Chapter six yeah, and that's where God did the lapping the water test. You have too many.

Speaker 1 8:43

I don't want you to think you won the battle. Thin them out, tell the ones shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that you will have saved Israel by my hand, as you have said. So that exactly happens. But then the next day Gideon says to God do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more, let me test, I pray just once. Let the ground be wet, but the fleece be dry. So he's like asking for sign upon sign. And you know what? God doesn't show any signs of anger.

Speaker 1 9:31

And I think Gideon is such a reassuring story because it tells me that when you have doubts, go to God and just like Moses, moses complained, but he complained to the Lord. The people of Israel complained, but they complained about the Lord. That's the difference. When you take your problems or your grievances or your struggles or your doubts to God, that's the first step in finding some sort of closure. Now can you imagine the other side of this?

Speaker 1 9:58

Let's look at Moses and Gideon. What if Moses doubted that he was the right guy for the job, but he said what if Moses doubted that he was the right guy for the job, but he said okay, I'll go talk to Pharaoh and I don't know, we'll see if any of the miracles actually happened? Do you think with that attitude, anything would have happened? What if Gideon took his 300 soldiers into battle, never asking God for the sign, because you know, if you're a good follower of God, you don't test God. And I have doubts, but I don't want to show those doubts, I'm just going to go along with it. Do you think if he marches 300 soldiers into battle without getting that reassurance from God and not really thinking this?

Speaker 2 10:38

is going to work. Saul lost his kingdom because he did that. He doubted that God would be there for them, and so he made the sacrifice himself. And so I think that is the difference is where you turn in doubt and how that looks. Even in Matthew 8, the disciples turned to Jesus and woke him up and asked him why the ship was about to capsize and why he didn't care. And he rebukes them, he tells them they have little faith, but then he calms the seas and use that opportunity. And I think that that's maybe what you're getting at here too is how we react and how we can expect God to react, and what's God's perspective towards us when we doubt? As we've seen, god's perspective of when we doubt is he acknowledges and expects that we might and that we will have doubts, and then he gives us wisdom or tries to lead us to a conclusion and answer in his scriptures that resolves that the scriptures ought to give us reassurance that God knows our limitations.

Speaker 1 11:37

I mean, he is the one that created us and designed us and he knows exactly what our limitations are us and he knows exactly what our limitations are. And the scriptures ought to be reassuring that time and time again, god shows a great degree of patience when people are working through their own hurdles, when people are working through their doubts, their struggles, god leads them, gives them what they need, gives them reassurance, but allows them that time and space to work through some of those things. And one of the most puzzling verses to me about doubt is at the very end of Matthew's gospel Matthew 28 and verse 16,. The 11 disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them, and when they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. This is the resurrected Savior and they're seeing him in person, worshiping him, but they still doubt.

Speaker 1 12:39

But in the very next verse, jesus says all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make the disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I've commanded you. I'm with you. We know the Great Commission, but that's right. After saying some of them worship while doubting and Jesus doesn't say hey, for those of you that are actually certain, out of my sight, yeah, but for those of you who are certain here's your job.

Speaker 1 13:11

He says to all of them this is your task, this is your commission, even though some of them had doubts in that moment. He doesn't look at that as like, yeah, like you said, get out of my sight. He doesn't look at that as you're no good to me, you're of no use to me. It's go and teach others, it's go and do the work. And so the idea is that as they do this, they're going to be working through some of their doubts and we see that their strength a lot of the apostles. They grow stronger as they suffer more in the book of Acts, as they experience hardship, as they go and teach and preach to more people. Their faith only gets stronger as they work through some of these doubts.

Speaker 2 13:54

I know some look through the lens when it comes to doubt, in the lens of testing the scriptures, and I think they go to verse like 1 John, 4, 1 and 5 through 6, a beloved do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God.

Speaker 2 14:11

This idea of looking at scripture and confirming it, which is what we should be doing to preachers like Kyle when he gets up to the pulpit and he's speaking God's word. We are to hear the word and we are to then evaluate and test it, not because we just have this innate doubt and distress, but because we are commanded to make sure that it is true. But obviously in Philippians 1 as well, it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and discernment so that you may approve what is excellent. We are to evaluate what we hear from preachers and teachers, and then also in Jude 22, we are to have compassion and mercy on those who doubt, and have mercy on those who doubt. Save others from snatching them out of fire. So we know that these people will doubt.

Speaker 1 15:07

I think that verse is very important too, because I think that's one of the dangers we get into, is we create an environment much like with confession of sin we're told to confess our sins, but why does that generally not happen the way scripture seems to say it should? Because, well, I'm afraid that if I confess a sin, then people will think I'm a sinner which we all sin, which we all have sinned in grievous ways. But we get this idea that if people find out they'll look at me different and I'm afraid to be looked at differently. And I think the same thing is true of doubting. And we need to create that environment where especially our young, our teenagers, are able to freely ask a question and not feel like they're going to be judged just because they're asking a question. How do we know the Bible's true? How do we know?

Speaker 2 16:00

that God really created everything.

Speaker 1 16:03

They have questions like that. They shouldn't be afraid to ask those questions.

Speaker 2 16:07

Yeah, and I wonder if you know, I wonder if that's why maybe some preachers or elders fall away unexpectedly. Maybe because they do have doubts, but because of their position, or because of the family and and the their, because of the my livelihood yeah, the livelihood, but also just the their whole circle, their whole life, you know, is surrounded around this identity that if they show doubt then it undermines their position and their, what people think of them, and so I think that that that might be you be a clue as to why that might happen at some point in time and how people kind of leave the faith and they don't really have a space where they've made it okay to doubt and question and prove the scriptures and what they believe in. God.

Speaker 1 16:58

Yeah, and so here's where we get back to our initial thought, where the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea You're driven and tossed about by the wind. That's not a way to live through life, that's not a way to exist. Doubt can be a very powerful tool, especially if you're doubting the right things. There are so many examples in the Bible where people began to doubt that what they believed was true was actually true. Some really good examples that come to my mind in Acts, chapter 26,. Paul talks about his former life and he said indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. That's what I believed was the right thing to do. And then I met Jesus on the road. He blinded me, gave me a vision, gave me a calling as his apostle and I chose a different path in life. But Paul had to stop and rethink his faith a little bit. Same thing in Acts, chapter 15, with the Jerusalem conference.

Speaker 1 18:01

There are so many Jewish converts to Christ in the first century that for all their life you had to be circumcised, you had to make sacrifices at the temple, you had to keep the Sabbath, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Things you could not eat, that were unclean, and they just couldn't let that go and they started teaching and insisting that Gentile converts had to keep those customs. And so they got together in Jerusalem. They heard testimony from Paul and Barnabas. They had James, the brother of Jesus, one of the pillars in the church. They had Peter get up an apostle and they talked about scripture. And so you get a lot of Jewish converts that had to again build down what they thought was true. They had to have some doubt about the customs of Moses, that maybe we don't have to do that or insist others do that and then be filled with the truth and correct it a little bit.

Speaker 1 18:55

And same thing with the noble-minded Bereans Acts 17 and verse 11, they were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica and that they received the word with all readiness and searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Paul, you've told us some great things, but we need to check the scriptures. But we're going to go ahead and consider your teaching, we're going to consider that what you're saying could be true and we're going to search the scriptures with eagerness. And they found the truth.

Speaker 1 19:26

So doubt is no way to live and John and I aren't suggesting that if you have doubts, that it's okay to just stay perpetually in a constant state of doubt and fear and uncertainty. But doubt can be a very powerful tool that if you're doubting about God, about the Bible, air out those doubts, go searching for truth and you just might find a stronger faith. If you have doubts about things that you think are true, search the scriptures, like the Bereans or those in Jerusalem or Paul, and maybe you'll find that I was wrong about some things, but I see the truth now. And maybe you'll find that I was wrong about some things, but I see the truth now. So doubt can be a powerful tool to point us in the right direction if we're brave enough to do something about it.

Speaker 2 20:12

Yeah, so you're just triggering me like crazy right now. We had a study on deconstruction and it so relates to this right now, because what you just said right there as far as where you're turning to evaluate and you're saying, turn to the scriptures to evaluate but there's a huge movement right now on the idea of deconstruction. It's really nothing new under the sun. It's been happening since the end of time. It's just that word is a buzz and it's being labeled and, because of our modern technology and our movements online, it is catching like fire on YouTube, social media, tiktok, instagram catching like fire with influencers or people who have live, deconstructed their faith online to the point of deconversion. And so if you talk to someone who says they're deconstructing their faith, it could mean what we've been just talking about.

Speaker 1 21:00

It could mean that they've had doubts, or they're asking questions and they're trying to correct beliefs that they've had opportunity to present them with the simplicity of the scriptures. So it can be a very good thing, but usually, the way we see it now, it's not a matter of deconstructing false ideas or looking to bolster a weak faith with scripture. It's looking to walk away.

Speaker 2 21:39

They're rejecting scripture through that and they're following cultural norms or leaving Christianity altogether and generally. That's why there's a lot of books out there. I would suggest reading and looking into that kind of help. You understand the movement. But the idea is people have been trying to make this idea and take the word deconstruction and make it as if there's a good and a bad deconstruction.

Speaker 2 22:00

I would warn us for trying to adopt the word because it's so heavy out there. Where they're saying deconstruction, what they're really meaning is deconversion. The goal, the end goal to this is not to have a stronger faith in God's word, like what we're talking about in this podcast today. It's really taking those doubts and unraveling the scriptures and really pulling your beliefs apart so that you can detach from it altogether. I think the danger of the word deconstruction and or this movement that people are looking into is for the young, because what it's doing is it's trying to match their cultural views about things like LGTBQ and saying we need to be more like the culture than like scriptures that we read in the Bible and it's kind of pulling them away.

Speaker 2 22:51

At the end of the day, I think, the idea of re-evaluating or deconstructing your beliefs. I even talked to a couple that came from Catholicism and that was understandable to them too, because they had to purge beliefs that were not founded in God's Word when they came to Christ, and so they had to pull apart those things, and disentangle is the phrase they used for that I could preach a whole series of lessons on things that issues in the Bible or matters of doctrine, if you will.

Speaker 1 23:21

That I view differently now than I did as a teenager and some of that is just the things I heard, the things I read in articles, the sermons. You know I've rethought through some things and so that can be just a natural part of life, but I've always been grounded by the scriptures is. Anytime I've changed some fundamental view or perspective on some Bible issue, it's because I've gone deeper to the scriptures and listened less to maybe what others might say about it and listen more to what God is saying in the Bible. And that's always a good thing If your conclusions are driven by your study of scripture, then you're moving in the right direction.

Speaker 2 24:25

But is that how the Bible actually interprets that? Is it just unwise to do that, or is it actually an act of sin? So we've had to do that ourselves, and I think that's the part of growing up in maturity and making your faith your own, versus just kind of feeding off of what you've been taught as a kid and or the surface level knowledge that you gain the surface level knowledge that you gain. Here's just five little things to think of that's important to think of when it comes to doubt. First is don't think less of yourself. We kind of talked a little bit about in Jude 1, it talking about having mercy on those who doubt. That includes yourself. Have mercy on yourself and understand that you will doubt. There will be times and seasons of doubt and sometimes people can push that down and want to ignore it because of shame or thoughts of well, why don't I have a stronger conviction in this than I should?

Speaker 1 25:17

John, have you had thoughts of doubt in your recent?

Speaker 2 25:20

life. There's been aspects of what I believe that I've doubted throughout my life.

Speaker 1 25:27

Yeah, me too. I just wanted to say, if you're listening and have doubts on this first point, you've made your Exhorter. Podcast presenters are in the same boat. We're kindred spirits here, we're all in the same boat. We've worked through doubts, and doubts will come up. I'll doubt my abilities. I'll doubt something about what I believe that's going to happen in life. I'll doubt something about what I believe that that's going to happen in life, but I look at that as an opportunity to dig deeper and search for better grounding.

Speaker 2 25:57

Yeah, well, a lot of times we'll doubt things that we do not have a lot of information about, and then we kind of have to check ourselves to think of whether or not it's really important that we know that, or if we just think it's important to know that. Is that important to our faith or is that just some aspect that we need to hold on to and ask God when we get there? You know, along with that one the first one the second one is don't ignore or suppress these doubts. As we read in Philippians 1, 9 through 10, we are supposed to go through and, with discernment, approve what is excellent we're supposed to look at in a scrupulous way, looking at the scriptures and making sure we know what it means and what it means for our lives and how we are to act on it.

Speaker 2 26:41

So we can't just ignore it, and I think that that's the fear, is there's some people that probably ignore and suppress it and then someday they turn around and realize or question did I ever believe and did I ever, you know? Did I ever truly believe, you know?

Speaker 1 26:54

And yeah, not not addressing your, your doubts, not airing them out is the phrase I use uh, avoiding them, uh, and and avoiding reconciling whatever cognitive dissonance you have or uncertainty you have. That's the worst thing you can do dissonance you have or uncertainty you have.

Speaker 2 27:12

that's the worst thing you can do and with that I think it's important to base your beliefs in Scripture and not in the lifestyles or circumstances that you have. 2 Timothy 2, 3.16,. All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness. We have the ability to go to God's Word and to find the answers that we need to have. But basing the beliefs in scripture is important, not just in relationships that we're in or through. What we've been taught by our parents is really put it on yourself and learn it for yourself and make it grounded in actual scripture and not one congregation, because I think that's Kyle we talked about.

Speaker 2 27:50

That too is a lot of the times people will leave a church or leave a congregation. They will leave a congregation because someone did something they didn't like or did something bad, and they associate that congregation with the church the Lord's church and the teachings in the Bible and, unfortunately, grounding yourself in just the social club the Lord's church and the teachings in the Bible, and unfortunately, grounding yourself in just the social club aspect of a church and not actual scripture, can really make it hard for you to separate the two. When people fail, which they're going to do People are going to disappoint you and at that point those relationships might not exist, and then you've now built your house on the sand.

Speaker 1 28:33

So it's just important to base your beliefs in actual scripture and not in relationships and people and the upbringing I would say, people can disappoint, and I know, because I'm sure I've disappointed others, simply because I can't be everything to everyone, and as much as I wish I could, I have limitations and so, even the best intentions, someone's still going to fall short of being there for you. So put your hope in God, put your trust and confidence in God and understand that people are doing the best they can to interpret the Bible and share their understanding of the Bible, but that ultimately, it's up to you. You're going to stand before God and give an answer at the end of your life, not based upon what this preacher taught me or what this elder taught me or what this person taught me in Bible class. You might have learned some good things.

Speaker 2 29:28

Sadly, you might have learned some false things that way too, but you gotta search scriptures for yourself and and unfortunately I'd say, 99 of youtube commenters that talk about leaving the church or christianity behind. Start with, I had a bad experience. Not I searched. I searched the scriptures and had a bad belief. So you're going to have bad experiences, so don't tie your belief in your faith to experiences.

Speaker 1 29:59

A common trend I see is folks that spent all or a majority of their life at one particular congregation and had some bad experience and maybe you did, and that's unfortunate. But don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Speaker 2 30:14

Along with this is number four go to God for answers to your questions. Many times people who try to deconstruct their belief in faith and religion. They will look to the culture, they will look to friends, they will look to other outside influences. And start there first and talk to them and find out why they don't believe or what they don't believe, and then it will make them question even more. And the real focus is if you're lacking wisdom, like James 1, 5 says, ask of God. He will generously give you without reproach. And I think that's the main focus is, if you're questioning, go to God in prayer. Go to God in the scriptures, start there first. Well, ken, that leads me into the fifth one, which is talk to other Christians. We just said you know talk, you know go to God first, but you know, maybe don't go to your secular friends. But I do think it's important to talk to other Christians and realize, just like we are talking right now.

Speaker 2 31:14

People deal with doubt and in Galatians 6, verse 2, it says bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. I think doubt is a part of that process and I do think it's good for us to share some of those doubts and help encourage one another. Now, if you're not getting encouraged from your brethren and they're kind of encouraging away from it, then maybe they're doubting in the wrong way too or examining their own faith in different ways. So you do need to be careful about that. But I do think it is important for us to share our concerns with our brethren and find those people that are rocks and that are good for us and share some of these doubts that we might have. Maybe they have had similar experiences and they can help you.

Speaker 1 31:52

Well, thank you very much for that, john.

Speaker 1 31:54

That's something that's been on my mind quite a bit lately.

Speaker 1 31:56

And if you're listening to this and you're going through some struggles right now struggles in your faith, struggles with having a solid belief, a conviction that things in the Bible are true and accurate, that God is real and is really there or maybe you're struggling with I know what the Bible says I should do, I know what God's will is in the Bible, but I don't like it. Or I'm struggling because maybe it conflicts with the culture you live in. If you're going through any of those struggles or doubts, or maybe you are in the point of deconstructing, you're building down, you're tearing down some of the constructs of your faith, I hope this episode will give you some encouragement. Just do some long reflection, do some study on the scripture, tune out the other voices that are out there and focus in on the voice of God. If you've benefited at all from this episode or any other episodes of the Exhorter podcast, we encourage you to follow us on social media, like and subscribe to our podcast and hope to see you next week.

Speaker 2 33:05

And if you're deconstructing, stop it, knock it off, just stop it, stop it. What was that from?

Speaker 1 33:17

Bob.

Speaker 2 33:17

Newhart, the Mad TV skit. Yeah, he's the therapist right and he says pay by the minute or pay by the hour or something. I'm going to give you one tip.

Speaker 1 33:26

This usually only takes two minutes, two minutes. And I have two words for you Stop it, we're going to start off with a little bit of a skit, like well, yeah, I guess I'm supposed to lead in, but I'm just so confused lately about what I believe in. I feel like that's me in the corner, that's me losing in the spotlight, losing my religion.