How to handle doubts that challenge belief in God and our Christian faith.
Examine and confront doubts on the path to ever stronger faith.
Doubts are healthy if questioned!
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1. INTRODUCTION
The results of my ‘ongoing evaluation‘ have indicated to me that creating a lasting ‘relationship with God’ is essential in our search for belief in him. And of course building Christian faith itself. In effect we need to deliberately ‘engage with God’. Open ourselves to him.
(I am from a senior auditing background and the majority of my advisory team are Christian clergy. To glimpse the ‘who’, ‘how’ and ‘why’ of this website please click here.)
We can have a whole range of doubts confronting us over our entire journeys of faith, from beginner to experienced Christian. We DO need to look for answers. And I am SURE they will be there awaiting us. Bear in mind too, that I have personally travelled all the way from obsessive atheist to rock-solid believer. The article, “Too good to be true?“ explains how I found answers to the big doubts that prevented me from even beginning my journey of faith.
Look, it is a fact that every ‘believer’ will have the occasional doubt about his or her faith. Granted that most believers have their own ways of knowing that God does exist. But the fact that the Lord does not normally have an ‘in your face’ type of presence within our lives has to work against that at times.
2. DOUBT’S POSITIVE OUTCOMES
The most important thing to remember about religious doubt, is that it should NOT be an altogether negative frame of mind for Christians. That is unless we choose to make it so.
A previous church leader of mine (now on my ‘website team’ of advisors) told our fellowship from the pulpit, quite rightly, that ‘doubt’ and ‘faith’ are not really opposites.
He actually thought the process of human doubt could in fact be a ‘gift from God’. In essence it can open us to ever deeper levels of understanding and closeness with the Lord … if we DO check those doubts out appropriately. And I certainly have proved this to be the case for myself!
Ok, so let’s have a look at how that works …
3. THE CHOICES
Actively ‘fronting up’ to these types of thoughts, analysing their causes and looking for logical answers, almost always gives us very positive results. Yes, they offer the means for achieving ever stronger ‘belief and faith‘. And that in turn strengthens the purpose and contentment in life we can access through the practise of Christianity. That is, we get to receive exactly ‘what faith offers each of us‘.
On the other hand, by ignoring it – doing nothing to evaluate the doubt – we place ourselves in the ‘risky’ position where our faith can unravel. And often when it is needed most. That might be for example at the onset of a genuine life crisis. Yes, doubt is an important issue to manage during our ‘journey of faith‘.
So, it seems pretty straight forward then, eh? Answers simply do need to be found as and when doubts arise. Obviously this requires some work on our part. But, do not think that it is beyond you! It is common for each of us to be tempted with that thought at times too.
From my lengthy use and evaluation of Christian faith, I consider there is too much to be gained through “Building sound faith” to let those rewards slip through our fingers!
I have tried in the articles following this one, in this little subsection titled “Doubt and Christians”, to offer guidance on dealing with doubts applicable to:
4. THE FINAL WORD
Finally, the following Bible verses, written by St Paul to the church in Philippi, can be applied to guide us when faced with doubt:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is
excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me,
or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
[Philippians 4:6-9]
The lessons from these verses when applied to doubt and faith are:
- Don’t be stressed and duly pray about those issues;
- Remember what holds us to faith;
- Put the Bible scriptures into practise with that faith;
- God will protect our faith through both our emotions and reasoning; and
- The God of peace will therefore always be with us.
Please just access the article (listed under Heading 3) that applies to you.