D – Doubt {26 Surprising Ways to Encounter God, A-Z}
“Thinking people welcome doubt. It serves them well as a valuable stepping stone to better knowledge.”
– Carl Jung
D—Doubt
We like to know.
But often we don’t. What will this day hold? Who will we hear from unexpectedly? What emotions, thoughts, behaviors will come from our own bodies today?
Your guess is as good as mine.
While we can often get the impression that God rewards certainty (those with strong faith, for example), we can also trust that God is near us when we doubt.
Especially if that doubt means we are being more honest.
Remember that God is truth. And when we are most truthful, perhaps we are most like God. Even when that truth for us is splotchy and messy.
Try This
What doubts are you pondering lately? A faith issue? A job predicament? A relationship struggle?
Ask God to show up in the doubt. Right in the middle of it. Sit with him in the uncertainty until you make peace with it. Not for answers. Just to be in his presence.
God can be found even in the doubts.
Learn More
- Is It Okay to Doubt My Faith?
If our faith is rooted in truth and our ability to reason is a gift from God, shouldn’t he be able to handle any question we come up with? - When You’re Not Sure
We can’t always wait for 100% clarity. Including on matters of faith. Let’s stop being scared of being wrong. - Suggested Books to Read
Unfollowers: Unlikely Lessons on Faith from Those Who Doubted Jesus by Ed Cyzewski and Derek Cooper. My review here.
Spiritual Misfit: A Memoir of Uneasy Faith by Michelle DeRusha. My review here.
Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church by Rachel Held Evans. My review here.
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What uncertainty is nagging you now about your faith? About life? Please share in the comments.
Coming up next:
- E – Emptiness
Are you holding open empty spaces for God to move?
- C – Collections {26 Surprising Ways to Encounter God, A-Z}
- F – Food as God’s Love {26 Surprising Ways to Encounter God, A-Z}
Praise God that He’s right there, smack dab in the middle of our doubts and dreams, hopes and wonderings!
Yes, I’m grateful that God doesn’t require us to have everything all figured out. We come to him with things we know and things we don’t know, and he takes us all in.
I feel like the big “d” doubt has been the theme of my life. Isn’t it interesting that the places we deeply doubt may one day the places we most strongly believe. Like love is a choice trust in the face of doubt is also. You are totally right God can handle our doubts even if he doesn’t clairfy Them with anything other than himself
Beautifully said, Somer. The places we deeply doubt may one day be the strongest places of belief. God definitely can handle and transform all of it in his timing! Thanks for sharing.
I think doubt is the cousin to fear, but fear, real fear, has a way of pushing us toward our Maker. Of course, in Him fear is conquered and peace is gained within… even before our circumstances change.
You speak truth, Floyd: “in Him fear is conquered and peace is gained within… even before our circumstances change.” Yes, we can’t always wait for the circumstances to change; we change.
Hi Lisa, I’m so glad I stopped by here tonight. I needed to have this reminder to bring my doubts to Him. My family traveled for years portraying the Apostle Thomas–Doubting Thomas 🙂 for churches. So you would think these words would be carved deep in my soul. I guess that God sees how my “fibro-fog-brain” needs to have a jolt now and then to remember His Faithfulness to meet us in the middle of the doubting. Thanks for sharing from HIS heart! –Blessings!
I’m glad you did stop by, Bettie. I don’t think we ever outgrow our need for reminders of truths we already know. We’re all still human, after all. The reminders confirm what’s already in our hearts but sometimes needs a little jolt. God bless you for the years you’ve spent sharing God’s love with others.
I hope it would be ok if I posted a link back to your blog here? Your words were so much from the Lord for me today, and I knew He was asking me to write about Doubting Thomas over at my blog for tomorrow’s posting. Please let me know if this is ok with you. 🙂 –Blessings to you!!
Yes, Bettie. Feel free to share. I’ll look forward to visiting your blog tomorrow and reading about Doubting Thomas.
Thank you!
Yes, nothing irritates me more than not knowing. God has been working on me to have bigger faith and smaller doubts. Day by day, that’s for sure…..
I like to “know”, too, Sarah! I’ve been on a quest for knowledge my whole life. But I’m slowing coming to realize that it’s okay not to know, and to be make peace with the unknowable. Yes, day by day…
I think systematic doubt is important. If doubt is banished then faith just becomes dogma, like in your “Is It Okay to Doubt My Faith?” link. So in a way doubt keeps the faith alive, exercises it.
Nice idea to see God in the doubt. I can’t think that sincere doubt is in itself sinful. I find the doubting Thomas story very touching – not just Jesus’ willingness to show evidence, but the disciples’ tolerance of the doubter.
“Atheism” can be doubted too, and doubt can lead people towards God as well as away.
David
I totally agree, David. Doubt is just another tool that the Spirit can use to draw us into a more genuine faith, and often times away from a shallow one. It’s easier sometimes to just “go along” with what we’ve always believed, but what’s easier isn’t always better. Wrestling with our doubts builds up our faith muscles.