“I used to have a disturbing suspicion that the very existence of doubt in my life and in the lives of other Christians was surely a strong argument against Christianity. Why would committed Christians continue to question the very basis of their faith? Why would God allow doubts to cripple Christians even after they have decided to follow Him? The only reason I could think of was that perhaps God is truly not there and we are just attempting to convince ourselves of some extravagant fairy tale.”
In an article based on her book, “Making Your Faith Your Own: A Guidebook for Believers with Questions,” Teresa Turner Vining writes about Christians and doubt. You can read the whole article here. We all struggle with doubts and questions; doubts and questions that don’t seem to have answers. And I’m always asking myself, “Do I?” Why do I doubt, why do I question, do I even have the right to question God? But the interesting thing is, it’s not just me. It should be “Do we?” Why do we doubt, why do we question, do we have the right to question God? I’m not alone, eh?
My friend Smitty is struggling with questions now, and I don’t have answers; partly because I am in the midst of my own struggles, and partly because sometimes we are asking different questions. She is dealing with God and the unfairness of life and I dealt with that a long time ago. But we are both dealing with where is God and just how involved He is in our lives.
But doubt and questions are important to our faith. I like what Vining continued to write in her article:
“I couldn’t see it at the time, but looking back I am amazed to discover that it was actually my doubts and questions that drove me to become more serious about my faith and led me to a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God.
I suspect that if God had simply revealed Himself to me during my experiment in the chapel, I would not have begun seeking Him wholeheartedly, as I did in His silence. Things that come easily are too easily taken for granted. I never spent more time praying or prayed more sincerely than when I faced the true implications of believing God did not exist.
“A twice-born faith, a rebuilt faith,” a Quaker pastor named Rufus Jones wrote, “is superior to an inherited faith that has never stood the strain of a great testing storm. If you have not clung to a broken piece of your old ship in the dark night of the soul, your faith may not have the sustaining power to carry you through to the end of the journey.”
Doubt actually can work to drive us toward God if we let it. It can motivate us to reexamine our foundation to make sure it is not faulty, and it can be a doorway to new insights that we never would have unlocked otherwise. This is especially important for those who have grown up in the church as I did…But the power for good that doubt can have in our lives comes only in the strength and insight we gain in confronting it…if doubt is left unaddressed, any benefit goes unrealized, and it can become a destructive force.”
Doubt can be beneficial. Questions can lead to answers. Our faith becomes our own. Why does it have to be so damn hard?
B~
“The reason for verbalizing doubts is not to get sympathy–It is to resolve those doubts. The reason for asking questions is not to show your deep philosophical nature–It is to get answers. The reason for risking is not to show your courage–It is to find the reality of the God of the universe.”
– Steve Brown, “Daring To Doubt”
March 29, 2007 at 11:48 pm
Adolescense is a time of doubting, questioning, experimenting, and testing to see what you’ve been taught all along is true or false. Successful emergence from adolescense is when we sort it all out and truly take personal ownership on those things that are true and lasting.
Spiritual adolescense is no different. We cycle in and out of it. It’s nothing we should necessarily repent of; rather something to be embraced. Doubt can sometimes be tumultuous, but it is very necessary to authentic faith. Faith without experience is still within the realm of doubt.
March 30, 2007 at 12:47 am
What a beautiful post. I’m a Catholic convert who struggles with bouts of doubting. I think that in the end, doubting is good. It’s the function of a healthy mind and the sign of sanity. Some of the greatest Christian models were doubters. St. Thomas for example! Edith Stein, the Catholic nun who died at Auschwitz, is such an example. She was originally an atheist philosopher. C.S. Lews, atheist. Doubt is a mystery really and it’s a mystery that attempts to answer a mystery. It’s scary, compelling and beautiful all the same. Good luck to you and your friend.
March 30, 2007 at 3:58 am
The ending of your post made me laugh… While I was reading your post, I found myself asking the same question that you posed at the end. I know it’s OK to doubt and in the long run benefical, but why does the journey have to be so damn hard?
Had a long talk with a good friend today, and still don’t have the answers to my questions or yours. But, a point that she made was that not having the answer or knowing that we are never going to get the answer, is God’s answer to those questions in and of ithemselves. That’s very hard to accept, yet I think that all would agree that asking the questions and looking for the answers are good things to do. I wonder if the problem comes when we are not satisified with the answers God gives us?
March 30, 2007 at 5:17 am
It was so refreshing to read your post today. I’ve missed stopping by and seeing what God’s been up to in that often conflicted head of yours . . . I’ve recently realized that doubting God’s goodness is far more dangerous than doubting His existence. Satan would love to convince me that we serve an uninterested, apathetic Creator. I so appreciate having fellow strugglers like you on my journey. I love your heart Bruce, and I’m glad we are walking this road of faith together.
March 30, 2007 at 7:46 am
Great post Bruce. I really enjoyed reading all of the different insight that you gave or pointed me towards through the quotes you provided.
I have struggled and continue to struggle with the inherited faith notions I grew up with….it is through the questions and doubts that I begin to make my faith “my faith”….I still have many miles to travel but every once in a while I can see that there has been some progress.
Blessings to you for an incredibly sensitive and insightful post….
March 30, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Thanks for being so honest, bruce. I have lots of questions, myself, lately.
March 31, 2007 at 1:45 am
I like the looking back…….
April 3, 2007 at 6:51 pm
I read or heard this a while back: “I don’t doubt, I just get confused sometimes.”.
If that is so, then I can get very confused a lot of the time – or maybe it’s just my age! 😉
April 4, 2007 at 10:26 pm
yep…ditto on the “damn hard.”
Did you get hit with the storms yesterday?!
April 5, 2007 at 5:18 pm
? I thought I commented on this post already.
Great thoughts, I’ll just share what for me personally has been the answer. I used to struggle a lot with doubt, but don’t anymore. I do struggle with things like rebellion and anger, but I don’t doubt the truths of the gospel, like Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. For me personally the answer has been the presence of God, experienced by the Holy Spirit, in such a tangible way that I’m convinced of the truth. That’s the only answer (for me). Revelation, I think, comes from relationship.
Like I said, I may still struggle with depression, fear, anger, shame, etc…but again, it’s the Holy Spirit, pulling back and spending time with God and receiving freshly from him, which deals with that. It’s the only thing I’ve found that works.
I don’t know if I’m describing it well.
Thanks for your encouragement on my blog, Bruce. I go through this angst every once in a while, but need to remember it’s not reality.