Is It Okay to Have Doubts?

Verse of the day:

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

– Mark 9:24

Introduction

Every believer faces moments of uncertainty. Maybe you have asked yourself questions like, “Does God really hear me?” or “What if I don’t feel close to Him?” or maybe “Why does my faith feel weak sometimes?”

Doubt can make us feel guilty or ashamed. The truth is… you are not alone. Even some of the strongest people in Scripture wrestled with doubt at times. The key isn’t whether you have question, it’s what you do with them.

Key Passage

In our verse of the day, the desperate father wanted to trust Jesus completely. However, he was honest about his struggle with unbelief. Instead of rejecting him, Jesus met him right where he was. That’s what God does with us too. He doesn’t run from our questions (just as we have discussed before). He invites us to bring them to Him and to search His Word for the answers.

Digging Deeper

1. Even the faithful had doubts.

• John the Baptist – The same man who baptized Jesus asked, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3)
• Thomas – Even as one of Jesus’ disciples, Thomas refused to believe that Jesus had been resurrected until he saw Him with his own eyes and touched his body with his own hands. (John 20:24-29)
• Elijah – After a great victory over false prophets, Elijah ran away afraid and wanted to die. (1 Kings 19:1-4)

Each of these people had moments of fear, confusion, and/or doubt. Yet God didn’t abandon them. He patiently helped them see truth again.

2. Doubt can lead to a deeper faith.

If we never question, we might not ever grow. Real faith isn’t the absence of doubt. It is trusting God even when you don’t have all of the answers. James 1:5 gives us some encouragement when it says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

God welcomes our questions, because they can lead us to seek Him more honestly and depend on Him more fully.

3. What matters is where you turn.

When doubt comes, don’t walk away from God. Run toward Him! Talk to Him in prayer. Read His Word. Talk to a trusted Christian friend or mentor.

The danger isn’t doubt. It’s isolation. Doubt that is hidden grows darker. When it is brought to light, God can transform it into a stronger faith.

Faith in Action

Here are some practical ways to deal with our seasons of doubt:

• Be honest with God. Tell Him what is confusing you or what it is that is causing your doubt. He already knows and He really cares.
• Stay connected. Keep attending worship. Keep attending Bible class. Keep attending time with the youth group. Even when (especially when!) you don’t feel like it.
• Remember your past faithfulness. Look back at times when God has answered your prayers and brought peace into your life when you needed it most.
• Ask good questions. And then don’t settle for shallow answers. Go deep into God’s Word. Read. Study. Seek. Let Scripture be what shapes your understanding.

Closing

Faith isn’t built in a straight line. It is a journey full of hills and valleys. When Thomas finally saw the risen Jesus, his doubt turned into one of the strongest declarations of faith that we have in Scripture: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)

God can use your questions to bring you closer to Him, not farther away. It IS okay to have doubts. Just don’t face them alone. Don’t let them push you away from the One who has all the answers.

Challenge for the Week

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

After Thomas’ great declaration of faith, Jesus says these words. Write down one question or doubt that you have about your faith or about the Bible itself. Ask God to give you wisdom and clarity on the subject. Study God’s Word diligently to seek answers. Find someone that deeply follows Christ and talk to them about your questions. You might be surprised to find how God can use that conversation to strengthen your faith.