Zechariah Struggle - Problem of Doubt
- Kirupakaran
- Jun 15
- 9 min read
As humans, we tend to rely on seeing is believing.—especially in today’s world, where rising crime and deception push us to double-check and verify everything before accepting it as true. We seek validation from multiple sources to ensure we’re making the right choices.
But when it comes to spiritual realm, faith becomes the essential link that connects us to God. Without faith, it’s impossible to please Him. Doubting God’s ability challenges the very foundation of our faith. We often forget that God is our Creator, fully capable of doing the impossible. Instead, we rely on our own strength, believing we can handle everything ourselves—and this self-reliance breeds doubt, which in turn blocks our spiritual growth.
People generally fall into three categories when it comes to doubts where this can impact their faith
Doubts of the Atheist (100% Self | 0% God):
Atheists (One who does not believe in God) often rely on pride and intellect, denying God and mocking faith. They challenge belief with arrogance, not sincerity. The Bible calls such a person a fool [Psalm 14:1 NIV] 1 For the director of music. Of David. The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.
Doubts of a Believer who has not tasted the Lord ( (50% Self | 50% God):
These are sincere but struggling individuals who haven’t fully encountered Jesus.
Their doubts often stem from their self-control.
Jesus teaches in John 7:17 that a heart willing to obey will recognize the truth. [John 7:17 NIV] 17 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
Doubts of a Strong Believer (0% Self | 100% God):
Even faithful believers may doubt in tough times when they take their eyes off Jesus.
Like the disciples in the storm (Matt. 8:25-26) or the father of the demon-possessed boy (Mark 9:22-24).they cry out for help, and Jesus responds to their faith.
We gain valuable insights about doubt and how to overcome it through Zechariah’s encounter and his struggle with Doubts.
Who is this Zechariah?
Zechariah was a priest during the reign of Herod, king of Judea. He and his wife Elizabeth were childless and advanced in age, unable to conceive a child.
Both were considered righteous in God’s eyes, faithfully obeying all His commands and decrees without fault.
We read this in Luke 1:5-7
Being righteous in God’s sight, it’s likely that both Zechariah and Elizabeth had been praying earnestly about their childlessness for a long time. In Luke 1:12–16, we read about an angel appearing to Zechariah, announcing God’s promise that they would have a child and that his name would be John.
[Luke 1:12-16 NIV] 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.
Zechariah’s Doubt
[Luke 1:18-20 NIV] 18 Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." 19 The angel said to him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time."
Zechariah was in the temple when Gabriel, an angel who stands in God’s presence, appeared to him with a message: he and his wife Elizabeth would have a son. After years of praying and waiting, this should have been a moment of great joy.
But Zechariah couldn’t believe it. He and Elizabeth were old, and he had accepted that they would never have a child. He had trusted God’s will and moved on.
So when the promise came, Zechariah struggled to believe. He didn’t want to go through the pain of hoping again. Because of his doubt, he was made silent until the promise was fulfilled. His story reminds us how doubt can grow when hope fades—but also how God’s plans still stand, even when our faith wavers.
What can Zachariah teach us about the problem of doubt?
We all struggle with the problem of doubt.
a) Doubt is a problem, even for the righteous.
Zechariah was described as “righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the Lord’s commands” (Luke 1:6). This wasn’t just outward obedience like the Pharisees—it came from a sincere heart. He had walked closely with God for many years. Yet even he struggled with doubt, reminding us that no one is immune.
Many strong believers in the Bible had moments of doubt. Sarah also doubted when God said she would have a child. She laughed because it seemed impossible (Genesis 18:10–15).
This shows that doubt can affect even the godly. If faithful people like Zechariah and Sarah could doubt, we must stay alert and guard our hearts. It also makes us ask: where does doubt come from?
b) Doubt does not stem from a lack of evidence, but from our sinful hearts.
Have you ever heard someone say, “If I saw a miracle or heard directly from God, then I’d believe”? But that’s not always true. Even Zechariah, who had an angel appear and speak to him, still didn’t believe.
You might wonder, “What’s the difference between Zechariah’s question and Mary’s?”
Zechariah asked, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years”(Luke 1:18).
Mary asked, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34).
Zechariah asked for a sign and was rebuked for doubting. But Mary wasn’t corrected. Similarly, Abraham questioned because of old age but wasn’t rebuked. Gideon asked for a sign twice, and God still answered him. Sarah, on the other hand, was corrected for laughing in doubt.
Why the difference? Because God sees the heart. He knew Zechariah’s doubt came from unbelief, not just confusion. Zechariah had decided it was impossible because of age—he limited God by human reasoning.
Gabriel later told Mary, [Luke 1:37 KJV] 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Zechariah should have remembered that. Even if we’ve followed God for years, when something seems impossible, we must check our hearts. God has already shown us in Scripture that He can do the impossible. The real issue is not lack of evidence—but our own hearts that tend to limit what God can do.
c) Doubt is often connected with disappointments or long-term trials.
Zechariah and Elizabeth had likely been married for decades. In their culture, being childless brought shame. They had prayed for a child for years, but when nothing happened, they accepted that it wasn’t God’s will. So when the angel finally announced they would have a child, Zechariah doubted—it seemed too late.
We’ve all been there—praying for something for so long that we give up hope. And when a glimmer of hope appears, we hesitate, not wanting to be disappointed again. Deep down, we’re doubting God.
Yet God, in His grace, often blesses us despite our doubts. That’s what happened with Zechariah. Though God disciplined him, his doubt didn’t stop God’s plan.
To overcome doubt, we must recognize where it comes from—our sinful hearts, shaped by pain and disappointment. But as Luke shows, God’s faithfulness doesn’t depend on our perfect faith.
2. The cure for doubt is trusting that God will do what He says.
When God doesn’t answer the way we expect, it’s easy to become disappointed and start doubting. But true faith allows God to be sovereign, trusting that He will fulfill His promises—even if it looks different than we imagined.
God still blesses us in our doubts, but He also lovingly corrects us. Zechariah doubted God’s message and was made mute—and likely deaf—as discipline (Luke 1:20, 62). By doubting the angel, he was doubting God Himself.
[Luke 1:20, 62 NIV] 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time." ... 62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.
In contrast, Mary believed God’s promise and was called blessed (Luke 1:45). That’s the point: since God keeps His word, we should respond with faith, not unbelief.
Zechariah was silenced when he should have praised God. But during those months of silence, he humbled himself, reflected on God’s Word, and grew in faith. When he finally spoke again, his words were filled with praise.(Luke 1:68–79).
[Luke 1:68-79 NIV] 68 "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us-- 72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."
Doubt doesn’t have to be the end. If we accept God’s discipline with a willing heart, like Zechariah did, we’ll grow stronger in faith and joy.
The key to overcoming doubt is simple: believe that God will do what He says.
Summary
We live in a world that expects instant answers, but God’s timing is different from ours.
If what we ask doesn’t align with God’s will, He may not answer—and even silence from God is still an answer, though we often struggle to accept it or understand this unless we have the spiritual maturity.
In times of doubt and frustration, we rarely stop to reflect. Sometimes God delays to correct a sin or teach us something deeper, not just to deny our request.
We say we have faith, but our hearts may still lack total trust. The Bible says to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. Unless all three are fully aligned, we may not please God in our prayers. This often causes delays in answers. [Matthew 22:37 NIV] 37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'
Even when we do everything right, God may test us to see if we truly trust Him or are acting on our own. Waiting patiently is part of spiritual maturity—it’s a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Ask God for patience / self-control and keep praying.
Use this simple prayer: [Matthew 6:9-10 NIV] 9 "This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
When you pray like this, Mean it from your Heart / Soul / Mind and pray.
“Hallowed be your name” means you honour and worship God.
“Your kingdom come” means you surrender your own will and ask for His plan to take over.
“Your will be done” means you fully yield to His decisions.
This simple prayer with your heart / mind / Soul aligned and committed to him can answer your prayer immediate and remove the doubt’s you have in mind.
Even in our doubts, God often still answers out of grace. But we rarely pause to thank Him or admit our lack of faith.
Instead, ask Him to forgive your doubt and help you grow.
Our relationship with God isn’t just about receiving blessings—it’s about being shaped for His purpose.
He wants to use you to reach others, to be a testimony of faith. Just ask Him, and He will use you.
Amen