Have you ever had doubts or insecurities about your faith? Are you skeptical at times about God or wonder why God seems to be absent? If so, you are definitely not alone.
Maybe you’re just more open and honest about your feelings than a lot of people you know. In fact, I would say that most Christ-followers have at one time or another struggled with doubts. I know sincere Christians who have been believers for years and still struggle.
Doubting your faith is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it can lead to spiritual growth and maturity. Think about it. It can be a time when you move from your family’s faith (childhood, adolescence) to actually owning your beliefs in a deep and real way.
There was an article blog in Christianity Today that spoke to this “doubt and faith” topic. It stated that there are usually two reasons why people doubt. Here they are:
1) Intellectual questions. In this case, people’s doubts come from questions about what’s true and what’s logical. People who have intellectual doubts often have questions like these: “Why should I believe the Bible is inspired by God?” “How is Christianity different from any other religions?” “Why isn’t evolution true?”
2) Emotional questions. These questions often come from hurt or grief. The emotional doubter may actually ask questions that are similar to those asked by the intellectual doubter: “Why does God allow suffering?” “How could a loving God send someone to hell for not being a Christian?” “Why are people born with disabilities?” The difference is that emotional doubters are not easily satisfied with intellectual answers. Why? Because their problem is not intellectual. It’s usually about their wounded feelings, and they need love and comfort.
This Sunday’s lectionary text is John 20: 19-31. It is the story of Thomas, aka…”the doubter.” You know the story. Jesus had appeared to his disciples behind closed doors (after his resurrection). Thomas missed the occasion. He did not believe his friends. He doubted or was skeptical of what they told him. He needed proof.
So he said, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and place my finger in his side, I will not believe.” Thomas must have been from the “show me state of Missouri” in Israel in those times. Jesus did reappear.
But what about us? Where are we in the story? Are we like Thomas? What’s our proof of a resurrection? Do we still doubt? Does our faith waffle back and forth? Maybe we can give ourselves the “benefit of doubt” and still have a “courageous strong faith” concerning the resurrection.
Pastor Dave