Have you ever believed something for years and then one day doubt its authenticity? People of opposing views addressed you with a question that was worded in such a way as to make you distrust your own beliefs? And then you feel guilty for questioning, knowing that if you doubt your belief then you are not a true believer? You should be punished! At the very least, you need to ask for forgiveness. Have you ever been there?
I am reading an amazing book titled “When faith fails – finding God in the shadow of doubt,” by the pastor of our church, Dominic Done. It is not only eye opening, it is life changing.
Some wonderful quotes from the book:
Doubt presses you to reevaluate the story of your life.
We don’t believe instead of doubting; we believe while doubting.
Doubt is essentially neutral; it’s what you do with it that counts.
And I shall end with this – Just because there are things you don’t understand about God doesn’t mean that he doesn’t exist.
I’ve certainly had moments, even days of doubting my faith. I would ask God to please give me a sign that he really does exist. Sometimes I would get it and sometimes I wouldn’t. The biggest problem with Christianity is believing in something you cannot see. It’s accepting miracles (things that happen without a scientific explanation) at face value. It’s having faith when everything and everyone around you points to a reality that challenges it. How do we get there?
You may arrive at faith when nothing else in your life makes sense. When you have reached the end of your rope and there is nowhere else to go. You believe your life is so miserable and you are so desperate that you consider ending it. And then something happens. You hear a song on the radio that gives you hope. A friend invites you to church and you hear a sermon that you know was meant just for you. A stranger shows you compassion and love and initially you cannot figure out why someone would do that, and then you do.
When I became a Christian (for the second time) I felt no desperation, no misery, no longing for something to change, no longing at all. God reached out and tapped me on the shoulder. He said, “It’s time for you to follow me, child, not just believe in me.” Something like that. I was in a place in my life where everything was going well. Go figure. But when God spoke, I listened. My heart opened up and welcomed him in. I have not been the same since.
You know who doubted their beliefs? I mean seriously doubted them? Mother Teresa! I’ve heard pastors, many of them, confess to times of doubt. As it turns out we all do! It doesn’t mean that we are bad Christians. It means that we have been given an opportunity to grow in our faith. When you doubt, you can go either way. It can turn into unbelief or a stronger belief. It all depends on you.
When you doubt, take the time to pursue what is bothering you. Ask questions, do research, talk to those who know more than you do. And of course pray! But never see doubt as something to chase you away from God. It will probably bring you closer to him. God bless.