Faith & Doubt
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A Role for Doubt?
Date Posted: 2007-08-14The theologian Paul Tillich once said that "doubt isn't the opposite of faith; rather, it is a part of the life of faith." Which, as far as I can tell, is evidently true. Everybody wrestles with doubt! Everybody! In fact, it's even possible, in my experience, to be in a place of faith and doubt at the exact same time. There's a story in the New Testament, in fact, where a man says to Jesus: "I believe; help my unbelief." And the statement is taken as an act of faith . . . doubt and all. And so, if doubt and faith can go together, they can't possibly be opposites.
Maybe the problem, then, isn't doubt. Maybe the problem is the fact that doubt is a source of embarrasment and shame-- and so we tuck it away into some deep, dark palce-- and there, it becomes a stinking, festering secret. Maybe we'd all be better off if we could be honest about our faith and the doubt that comes right along with it.
Comments
I too have struggled with doubt, in fact, doubt had led to a falling away from the faith, but God has brought me back to him, and I cannot take any credit for it, as I had become so depraved (had even considered myself an atheist) that I called out to God just to finalize my beliefs.
When doubt attacks me, I reach out to God like a blind man just to make sure He's still really there, and every time I do, God makes His presence obvious to me (I'm an awful lot like Thomas in this regard). I have noticed that God is developing my faith, which is something I prayed for (He answers prayers, that much is obvious, and remembering this helps me when doubt seems to be closing in).
I have found, that just like those who saw Jesus do miracles with their own eyes, it is easy to doubt what we have seen God do not long after it has happened, when the beliefs of this world distract us from God's plan for, and His presence in, our lives.
Posted By: Chris on 2010-01-10 01:53:43
Doubt is healthy and even necessary, but it can be set up as an idol in place of trusting God and walking each day Coram Deo - before the face of God.
"If God be for us, who can be against us?"
Posted By: Jake on 2009-06-05 08:39:11
I had a little collage I made once. You've probably seen the UFO poster Agent Mulder has in the program X-Files? I put a picture of the shroud of Turin where the UFO would be, so instead of the UFO it is Jesus and then the saying below- 'I want to believe'. Because even when I have doubts I know I still want to know God is out there, I still want to believe He exists and that all of this makes sense.
Posted By: RaelO on 2009-03-14 02:59:52
Sometimes I wonder, what is truth? Is it the facts, one's experience, or some combination of the two? How does this apply to my faith where facts can be hard to define and experiences differ from day to day?
Posted By: Sarah on 2007-12-19 09:44:47
Doubt. I used to doubt that God loved me. But now I don't. I am completely convinced that the only point for us being here is for God to love us and empower us.
I only doubt that God will intervene when I ask him to. When I think of all the times he has intervened I am astounded, but I still go back to wondering and doubting.
Posted By: Mark on 2007-10-08 06:26:54
So just because this forum exists and I have the opportunity to get this out of me... I wrestle with this almost daily: I have trouble believing that God loves me. I guess that's because I don't know what that means or what evidence to look for to see it, or feel it. Is is even something you feel? How do you know God loves you?
Just thought I'd get the conversation going...
Posted By: Anne on 2007-09-12 07:42:04
