Reader Question from Anonymous: Do you ever doubt God?
Do I ever doubt God?
All the time.
I have so many doubts. Sometimes my doubts are fundamental questions about whether God even exists. Sometimes I doubt whether he intervenes in this world. Sometimes I doubt whether he cares about me. Sometimes I wonder whether Christianity is a farce.
I believe doubts are connected to faith and can actually be a means to finding the truth. Doubts keep us from blindly accepting. Doubts challenge us to be discerning.
John the Baptist doubted (Matthew 11). Even after baptizing Jesus and sharing life with him, while sitting in prison, John began to have assaulting doubts that left him wondering whether Jesus was the true Messiah. So he sought the truth.
Doubts need not be feared.
I have been learning to move headlong into my doubts. Because ultimately I am in search of the Truth and the nature of truth is such that it cannot be jeopardized by doubt. Truth is not relative; God exists or he doesn’t – it can’t be both. And if God is real, if he is actually active in this world, if he really cares about me, if Christianity is true, then the truth will prevail under the scrutiny of doubt.
A humble search for truth may require a shift in previously held beliefs, but it is really only my pride that might be threatened by a change in espoused views. I’m more than willing to risk a bruised ego for the sake of discovering what is real.
And so I doubt. But interestingly, in my doubting I have encountered a deepening of my faith, and much like John the Baptist, my trust in Jesus grows.
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Do you have doubts about God? If so, how do you handle them?
I try daily, hourly to press closer to God, praying, praising, serving. I read scripture and memorize it so I can see God confirm it in my experience. I read blogs such as "No Artificial Colors or Flavors" so I can witness my sister’s life and faith. I remain in fellowship with other believers by a variety of means and that helps keep me "warm." It’s easy to get "spiritual hypothermia" when I’m trying to go it alone and lose the ability to warm myself.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (Contemporary English Version)
We should keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things. Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord’s coming is getting closer.
I used to have doubts all the time, not that He was real but that for some reason I was being excluded some how from His love. My prayers never seem to be answered, I was always in pain. My childhood filled with abuse, then filled with Chronic pain and fatigue. When was I going to find love, purpose? I finally had to repent, and a new truth came over me. No matter what, God loved me and would use all the bad for good as He promised. My doubts left, prayers answered, my relationship with Him got stronger. He knows best, Blind faith is bliss…
These are wonderful encouraging comments. I too have doubts, so I go to others to see how they handle it. I looked to C.S. Lewis in his book a Grief Observed because I heard he too had doubted after his wife’s death. I look to Christina to see how she handles grief. It is so true that we need each other as encouragement for our faith. I’m trusting that God has a bigger picture then my small world. I think it will someday all work into glorifying Him.
For those of us who have not seen Jesus face to face, how can we say we never have doubts? Most of all, however, I doubt my own faith to believe consistently – rather than doubting God or the reality of Christ ever present no matter my circumstances I pray as Paul did that God would help me to believe in my times of "unbelief." This life is surely a journey – not a "guided tour." Keep the Faith dear sister and continue to grow – "draw closer to God and He will draw closer to you."
Hugs, Angie
Love this post! So true and good to know I’m not alone in how things can sometimes feel!
xoxo,
Sandy M.
It seems to me that doubts most often arise when we are in places of pain or difficulty…it makes it harder to "see" God. In fact, it wasn’t until John the Baptist was in prison that he doubted Jesus; it is likely that his challenging circumstances triggered the doubt. But I love his response…he sought and longed for the truth in the midst of this doubt–and God revealed himself. Debbie: your quote from C.S. Lewis seems to indicate it was similarly his pain that triggered the doubt. Along with you, I am cling to the fact that God must have a bigger plan than my small world. 🙂 And Sandy: you can be certain you are not alone! 🙂
All those who have lived or even seen tragedy such as yours is bound to have doubts.I lost my brother at the age of 25 in a car accident and the first person I blamed was god,I swore at him for being greedy in taking a huge piece of my heart and life.
Do I doubt,of course but i think that is all connected to the pain that is associated with the fact of being human.They say god never deals a hand you can not handle,or perhaps he had a better plan for whomever.I say if your going to take and not give back then i should doubt.I have grown since then but still have yet to this day to pick up a bible to make amends. I may do that one day,just not sure when . Hope all is well.