For the doubter, you are not alone.
Doubt affects the lives of many believers. The Bible is filled with countless examples of the Heroes of Faith that struggled with doubt. John the Baptist, whom Christ called the greatest man ever born, once expressed doubt about the very identity of Christ (Matt. 11:3). The Disciples even after Christ’s resurrection doubted (Matt 28:17). Doubting Thomas needed proof that Jesus was the risen Messiah (John 20:24-29). Be assured that we are in good company when we doubt.
Our doubting can take shape in many ways. We doubt our salvation; other times we doubt God’s character. Many times we will even doubt the reliability of Scripture, the existence of God, or the identity of Christ.
From the earliest of my youth, I struggled with doubt. Not in the existence of God or His creation, but with the idea of God being a loving Father to me. I could not see past my sinfulness and failings to believe that I was loved and forgiven, I walked thru seasons of shame and guilt. Often feeling too overwhelmed to even know where to turn for comfort. Over the years thru counsel and insight of Godly men I have learned how to walk faithfully in these seasons of doubt.
- Realize doubt is often the beginning of deepened faith.
Many of us that grew up in the church became believers at an early age, with a faith founded through our parents whom we trusted implicitly. As we become older, our faith is tested through trials, temptations, and suffering (Job; Luke 8:5–15; Rom. 5:3–4; James 1:3). But this is not a bad thing. We all need to consider that the truths we hold to be true might be wrong, to embrace our faith more deeply. Such doubt often results in a stronger faith.
- Faith and doubt go hand in hand.
While God has revealed so much to us, and there is much we can understand, there are the “secret” things that belong to him alone (Deut. 29:29). We may never fully grasp the Trinity or comprehend how God created everything out of nothing. But what God has revealed to us thru His word is enough for us to rest in God when mystery arises.
- Stand firm in the faith you have.
Doubt is not unbelief, most often it is the connecting piece between our current faith and the faith that is to come. When doubt enters, we may see it as unbelief. We can be overcome with the fear that our doubts will lead us to complete unbelief and begin to live as unbelievers. Sin will begin to sneak its way into your life and become the more struggling power. It’s important for those struggling with doubt to not let their doubt influence their lives such that they start living like unbelievers. We should be encouraged and encourage doubters to continue to live as Christians, repenting and believing the gospel, even if they don’t always feel like Christians.
- Doubt your doubts.
Christian spoken word artist Joseph Solomon has a popular poem called A Shadow of a Doubt. Joseph expresses the hurt and fear that come alongside doubt. At the end of his poem, he ends with the line “doubt your doubt”. Why give your doubt a courtesy you don’t give your faith? Is your doubt so compelling that it can’t be questioned?
When we go through times of doubt, we need to make sure we are critical of our doubts as well. Doubt usually doesn’t offer a better solution; it just nags at the one we already have. For Christians, we can be sure that the central truths of our faith will never be outweighed by our doubt. When we learn to doubt our doubts, our faith will not be overthrown.
- Search your heart.
Personal sin is a faith-drainer and disobedience to God will take a significant toll on your faith.
For we are all sinners, saved by grace. Yet some sins can take on a weight that can bind our mind and our worldview. This weight can be moral, social, and physical; it can corrupt the mind. In short, if there is something you know you’re supposed to be doing, and you’re not doing it, doubt will soon spread, and your crisis of faith will be hard to overcome. We need to gently ask these types of questions when the time is right.
–Michael Grayson
