Has Doubt Crept in and Changed Your Focus?

Have you ever doubted whether or not you did something? Did I turn the oven off? I’m positive I did, but I could be wrong? Did I unplug the iron? Did I lock the front door? You see my point. Sometimes having faith in knowing that something was done, or will be done, is really what we all need.

But what happens when your doubt is more serious? When it leads you straight into a valley? David wrote about that valley in the 23rd Psalm, about going through the valley of the shadow of death. The key is knowing that you’re going through it and not camping out or living there.

David may have forgotten for a while that the valley is a process to get through, not a place to live.

Often, our tough moments in the valley can paralyze us. Instead of taking the next step with God, we stop. Our minds begin to wander from the truth of God’s love. We look at our life and think, I love God, and I gave everything to Him. But the optics of my life make it seem as if He doesn’t love me. Those thoughts begin the downward spiral into the dark.

The Spiraling Effect of Doubt

Spiritual doubt is part of most valleys. But how did it creep into David’s mind? Time after time, God had protected David as he was on the run. David had fully trusted God to rescue him from Saul.

But then, something shifted in David. He got marathon tired. Some call it “war-weary.” In his exhaustion, David’s thoughts gave way to fear. History records that he thought, Someday Saul is gonna get me. At that point, fear gave way to doubt.

David began to doubt his purpose. Even worse, he doubted God. This thrust David into his greatest test. If he was going to fulfill his future as a king, he was going to have to overcome his own doubt and fear.

The Three Kinds of Doubt 

Doubting for David started the same way it does for all of us. With a thought. We encounter three types of doubt on our hero’s journey.

Intellectual doubt creeps in when it seems as though what God has whispered to us is inconsistent with our human experience. We haven’t experienced it, so we can’t believe it. When we read about God’s miracles, we think, That must have been myth or legend, and if God’s word is not true in those instances, then maybe it’s not true for me, either.

We allow doubt to hit our pause button. Everything stops. When we pause, we don’t pass. When we stop, we don’t take next steps.

blond man worried expression

The second kind of doubt is moral doubt. Moral doubt moves in when we don’t like God’s commands or when following the path He’s given us seems too difficult. We rationalize our doubt. We think, I guess I don’t believe in God or His word after all. This is a convenient way of relieving guilt or escaping accountability. David never stopped believing in God altogether, but his doubt took him deeper and deeper into the valley. That meant further and further from the comfort of God’s unending love.

Circumstantial doubt is the third kind of doubt. It comes when we go through a long period of difficulty. Adversity wears on us. The spread of illness doesn’t stop. The school year stretches on. The friends are still mad. Relief never comes. We begin to doubt that God is in control of the circumstances. If He was, we figure, this wouldn’t be happening.

For nearly a decade, David lived the life of a fugitive, constantly in danger, escaping death day in and day out. Eventually, he succumbed to feeling sorry for himself. After all, he was innocent. He had spared Saul’s life. Didn’t he deserve better? Where was God? Why didn’t He do something?

David had repeatedly witnessed God’s protection, but now he thought that maybe God had given up on him. He let what he thought were rational thoughts trump love. His love was shaken. He’d shaken loose from his hold on God.

Haven’t we all experienced moments of deep and often depressing doubt? At times, we come up against difficulty or adversity and reach for a quick boost instead of tying ourselves to the truth of God’s love. We tend to detour into addictions, wrong friendships, or the pseudo-friendships of social media. To make it to the end of the marathon, we have to attach ourselves to God’s love and truth. It’s the only way to the end of the race—the way out of the valley.

Doubt Unchecked

Doubt left unchecked in our hearts can cause us to defect—to give up on God. As so often happens when anyone gives up on God, David made a major mistake. He defected to the enemy camp.

Once David started dwelling on the first negative thought, Someday Saul’s gonna get me, he descended into more negative thoughts. He shifted from thinking, God will always protect me to I’m going to die. I can’t depend on God, so I’ll take matters into my own hands.

David’s doubt led to a separation from God’s love, which led to a lack of dependence on God. From there, David descended into defection from God and His people. At this point, his thinking was so twisted David thought that hanging out with Goliath’s family and friends was his best bet. What kind of crazy is it when David believes that he is safest among his nation’s enemies?

Where’s Your Focus?

Motivational speaker Zig Ziglar called David’s negative mindset “stinkin’ thinkin’.” Zig said we need “a daily checkup from the neck up” to stay in the right frame of mind. Anytime we emphasize and verbalize the negatives in our lives, we are headed for trouble. When we dwell on our problems, we are done for.

Want to get out of the valley and beyond the bad optics? Grab a copy of my new WSJ & USA Today bestselling book, Overliked, and learn how to live the authentic life God’s called you to live.

Are you constantly thinking about bad optics? Are you pessimistic or critical? Is your negativity spilling over into your behavior? You might be in the process of defecting from God.

We have to think about what we are thinking about. When we dwell on our problems and make them the focus of our lives, we take God and his steadfast love out of the equation. When we defect from God, we never get out of the valley. We never leave the wilderness to do the great things that God has planned for us.

We have to shift our focus to the trail ahead. We have to lock on to the purpose that God has for us and the love He surrounds us with. We have to never let go. It is not His intention for us to stay in the valley, just to learn in the valley. David finally realized this, and you will too!

I share more about how David got past the bad optics to live the life that God called him to in my book, Overliked: Finding Direction, Courage, and Meaningful Relationships in a Society Crippled by Social Media. I invite you to dive deeper with me into how you, too, can get past the bad optics to the authentic life God has planned for you.

Until next time, stay strong in your faith that Jesus loves you like no other.

~ Pastor Rob

aka P-Ro

 

The First Three Chapters

Why wait until the book is released to start reading it? With your pre-order, you will receive the first three chapters immediately, so you can begin reading it right away. Pastor Rob sets lays the groundwork for all that he will be sharing, and you will get to start on his end-of-chapter “Change of Heart” exercises.

 

Out of Egypt Devotional

In this 6-day devotional, Pastor Rob will walk you through Scripture, much like the Israelites following God out of Egypt, and show you that God uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary and how to discern the truth over all the noise. You can also join the private Out of Egypt Facebook Group where you can connect with Pastor Rob and others in a supportive and encouraging environment.

 

Social Media First Aid Kit

Every home, office, store, church, and public gathering place has a first aid kit. Something to help patch up those bumps and scrapes we get from time to time. So it seems only appropriate that we treat the bumps and scrapes we sometimes get from social media. In Pastor Rob’s Social Media First Aid Kit, you will find valuable tools to not only treat the wound but to also prevent the wounds from coming in the first place.

 

Included in the kit you’ll find:

  • 5 Bible Verses to Look at Before Engaging Social Media Today – Get the Scriptural foundation you need before checking in with your social media platforms.
  • 3 Decisions to Make TODAY to Protect Your Mental Health When Engaging with Social Media – Having a more positive experience with your social media platforms can be as easy as 1-2-3. These three simple tips, when implemented consistently, will help keep social media in its place…and move you closer to God.
  • The Age of Narcissism – Narcissism, a personality trait that we all possess to a certain degree, has become a major problem. Not just because we’re obsessed with selfies and making sure we look—or at least appear¬¬ to look—good, happy, successful. But because the focus is on self and not God. Take this seven-day journey to putting God—and not you—at the center of your life.

 

Make It the Best Year

Everybody wants this to be the best year of their life—who wouldn’t?! But making this year better than the others means making some adjustments—changes. This 21-day devotional is the jump-start you need to do just that. Filled with scriptures, insight, and encouragement, Pastor Rob walks with you on this daily journey. Don’t wait until next New Year’s Day, make this the best year of your life…starting today!

The First Three Chapters

Why wait until the book is released to start reading it? With your pre-order, you will receive the first three chapters immediately, so you can begin reading it right away. Pastor Rob sets lays the groundwork for all that he will be sharing, and you will get to start on his end-of-chapter “Change of Heart” exercises.

Out of Egypt Devotional

In this 6-day devotional, Pastor Rob will walk you through Scripture, much like the Israelites following God out of Egypt, and show you that God uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary and how to discern the truth over all the noise. You can also join the private Out of Egypt Facebook Group where you can connect with Pastor Rob and others in a supportive and encouraging environment.

Social Media First Aid Kit

Every home, office, store, church, and public gathering place has a first aid kit. Something to help patch up those bumps and scrapes we get from time to time. So it seems only appropriate that we treat the bumps and scrapes we sometimes get from social media. In Pastor Rob’s Social Media First Aid Kit, you will find valuable tools to not only treat the wound but to also prevent the wounds from coming in the first place.

Included in the kit you’ll find:

  • 5 Bible Verses to Look at Before Engaging Social Media Today – Get the Scriptural foundation you need before checking in with your social media platforms.
  • 3 Decisions to Make TODAY to Protect Your Mental Health When Engaging with Social Media – Having a more positive experience with your social media platforms can be as easy as 1-2-3. These three simple tips, when implemented consistently, will help keep social media in its place…and move you closer to God.
  • The Age of Narcissism – Narcissism, a personality trait that we all possess to a certain degree, has become a major problem. Not just because we’re obsessed with selfies and making sure we look—or at least appear¬¬ to look—good, happy, successful. But because the focus is on self and not God. Take this seven-day journey to putting God—and not you—at the center of your life.

 

The First Three Chapters

Why wait until the book is released to start reading it? With your pre-order, you will receive the first three chapters immediately, so you can begin reading it right away. Pastor Rob sets lays the groundwork for all that he will be sharing, and you will get to start on his end-of-chapter “Change of Heart” exercises.

 

Out of Egypt Devotional

In this 6-day devotional, Pastor Rob will walk you through Scripture, much like the Israelites following God out of Egypt, and show you that God uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary and how to discern the truth over all the noise. You can also join the private Out of Egypt Facebook Group where you can connect with Pastor Rob and others in a supportive and encouraging environment.

 

Social Media First Aid Kit

Every home, office, store, church, and public gathering place has a first aid kit. Something to help patch up those bumps and scrapes we get from time to time. So it seems only appropriate that we treat the bumps and scrapes we sometimes get from social media. In Pastor Rob’s Social Media First Aid Kit, you will find valuable tools to not only treat the wound but to also prevent the wounds from coming in the first place.

 

Included in the kit you’ll find:

  • 5 Bible Verses to Look at Before Engaging Social Media Today – Get the Scriptural foundation you need before checking in with your social media platforms.
  • 3 Decisions to Make TODAY to Protect Your Mental Health When Engaging with Social Media – Having a more positive experience with your social media platforms can be as easy as 1-2-3. These three simple tips, when implemented consistently, will help keep social media in its place…and move you closer to God.
  • The Age of Narcissism – Narcissism, a personality trait that we all possess to a certain degree, has become a major problem. Not just because we’re obsessed with selfies and making sure we look—or at least appear¬¬ to look—good, happy, successful. But because the focus is on self and not God. Take this seven-day journey to putting God—and not you—at the center of your life.

 

Make It the Best Year Devotional 

Everybody wants this to be the best year of their life—who wouldn’t?! But making this year better than the others means making some adjustments—changes. This 21-day devotional is the jump-start you need to do just that. Filled with scriptures, insight, and encouragement, Pastor Rob walks with you on this daily journey. Don’t wait until next New Year’s Day, make this the best year of your life…starting today!

 

Exclusive Private Virtual Event – “Narcissism and Breaking Its Hold”

Narcissism is at an all-time high. And it’s not just because we’ve become a society obsessed with how we look and making sure we’re #1. It’s because we’ve put ourselves at the center of our lives instead of God. Join Pastor Rob in this 45-minute private event, where he will discuss the challenges facing society today and how we can make powerful changes in our lives to break the self-centered hold and embrace a God-centered life.

The First Three Chapters 

Why wait until the book is released to start reading it? With your pre-order, you will receive the first three chapters immediately, so you can begin reading it right away. Pastor Rob sets lays the groundwork for all that he will be sharing, and you will get to start on his end-of-chapter “Change of Heart” exercises.

 

Out of Egypt Devotional

In this 6-day devotional, Pastor Rob will walk you through Scripture, much like the Israelites following God out of Egypt, and show you that God uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary and how to discern the truth over all the noise. You can also join the private Out of Egypt Facebook Group where you can connect with Pastor Rob and others in a supportive and encouraging environment.

 

Social Media First Aid Kit

Every home, office, store, church, and public gathering place has a first aid kit. Something to help patch up those bumps and scrapes we get from time to time. So it seems only appropriate that we treat the bumps and scrapes we sometimes get from social media. In Pastor Rob’s Social Media First Aid Kit, you will find valuable tools to not only treat the wound but to also prevent the wounds from coming in the first place.

 

Included in the kit you’ll find:

  • 5 Bible Verses to Look at Before Engaging Social Media Today – Get the Scriptural foundation you need before checking in with your social media platforms.
  • 3 Decisions to Make TODAY to Protect Your Mental Health When Engaging with Social Media – Having a more positive experience with your social media platforms can be as easy as 1-2-3. These three simple tips, when implemented consistently, will help keep social media in its place…and move you closer to God.
  • The Age of Narcissism – Narcissism, a personality trait that we all possess to a certain degree, has become a major problem. Not just because we’re obsessed with selfies and making sure we look—or at least appear¬¬ to look—good, happy, successful. But because the focus is on self and not God. Take this seven-day journey to putting God—and not you—at the center of your life.


Make It the Best Year Devotional

Everybody wants this to be the best year of their life—who wouldn’t?! But making this year better than the others means making some adjustments—changes. This 21-day devotional is the jump-start you need to do just that. Filled with scriptures, insight, and encouragement, Pastor Rob walks with you on this daily journey. Don’t wait until next New Year’s Day, make this the best year of your life…starting today!

 

Exclusive Private Virtual Event – “Narcissism and Breaking Its Hold”

Narcissism is at an all-time high. And it’s not just because we’ve become a society obsessed with how we look and making sure we’re #1. It’s because we’ve put ourselves at the center of our lives instead of God. Join Pastor Rob in this 45-minute private event, where he will discuss the challenges facing society today and how we can make powerful changes in our lives to break the self-centered hold and embrace a God-centered life.

 

Exclusive Live Webinar – “How to Help Your Teen Break Free of Social Media Addiction”

While it might not (yet) be considered a clinical addition, many in society can’t go 5 minutes without checking their phone to see how many likes they have for their latest post, or how many comments people have left. And our teens are especially susceptible. After all, they’ve been all but raised with a device in their hands. How do we help this next generation deal with the debilitating side effects social media can have on us? In this 90-minute webinar, Pastor Rob will discuss the issue and provide practical ways we can help our teens navigate these formative years in a positive way. There will also be a live Q & A session at the end. (A link to the recorded webinar will be provided after the live event.)

Overliked by Rob Singleton is a tome for such a time as this. Even though I work on television, I also make a living through social media. Coincidently, right before I started reading the pre-release copy, I had checked my "Likes'" and numbers on social media! How was I doing? Were my numbers growing? Declining? Did a few drop off?  
 
It's so easy to get our self-esteem and self-worth tied to those likes and numbers.  
 
Through Pastor Rob's book, we learn how frivolous and fake it can all be and ultimately, how it can lead to a miserable and unfulfilled life if left unchecked. The tools, scriptures, and "change of heart" takeaways that Pastor Rob provides at the end of each chapter help considerably shift the focus from there…to in here. He gently, but with statistics and examples, gives us a guide us to live a more authentic life.  
 
In the book, Pastor Rob says, "Honesty is what sets us up for authentic relationships," and isn't that what we really all want? 
 
As a woman over 40 in Hollywood, the expectations have never been higher. Overliked sites that, in one 12-month period, YouTube logged 169 billion views just for beauty-related content. Beauty is good… perfection is lethal. And don't I know it? I am on high-definition TV with glaring set lights, standing next to 20- to 30-year old young women daily; it's a test to stay solid and secure in your own skin.  
 
I was posting perfectly lit and curated pictures of my "Beautiful" (heavily filtered) life; people followed and viewed but scrolled right along. However, when I let down the curtain, turned off the filter, and decided to share my real-life sorrows and struggles with cancer, the comments, words, notes, and numbers flooded. People want to see my honesty and weaknesses because they can relate.  
 
Overliked shows us that when we pretend to be perfect, the only person we are hurting is ourselves.  
 
Pastor Rob's easy and relatable storytelling draws the reader in. We find that our weaknesses become our strengths to help us touch, encourage, and heal others, not just impress them.  
 
Thank you for this very needed and essential book that helps us realize that being real is the only way to have a true connection with our Lord and our friends and family. 
 
In Overliked, through story references of David, we learn the Lord encourages us all to ignore appearance and stature. "For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
 
This book is an important message for developing authenticity in our lives, which is far more critical than adding strangers, getting fake followers, and creating a heavily-filtered life experience. I promise you will really "LIKE" it.