“Doubt can motivate you, so don’t be afraid of it. Confidence and doubt are at two ends of the scale, and you need both. They balance each other out.” ~ Barbra Streisand
One of the apostles that had amazed me in my childhood was Thomas. He was a very close follower of Jesus Christ. One might call them best friends. He heard Jesus’ teachings. He saw so much of what Jesus did when Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead. One would think that Thomas would never doubt. Yet, after Jesus’ death, as accounts of His resurrection were beginning to be spread, Thomas doubted. He went so far as to state that he would not believe until he could see Jesus face to face and examine His wounds.
Jesus gave him the opportunity to do just that when He appeared to the apostles, this time in Thomas’ presence. Jesus told Thomas to put his fingers into the nail marks in his hands and to put his hand into the gash left by the spear in His side. Instead of doing so, Thomas fell down and exclaimed, “My Lord and my God”.
You would think that would be enough to convince Thomas. Yet, immediately before Jesus’ Ascension into Heaven, Jesus told them that He was going to prepare a place for them and that they knew where He was going so they would know the way. Thomas once again expressed his doubts as he exclaimed that he had no idea where Jesus was going, how could he know the way?
At this point, some people might think that Jesus would be very justified in losing it and berating Thomas for his doubting. Instead, Jesus looked at Thomas lovingly and told Thomas that He was the way, the truth, and the life. If Thomas would just remember that, Jesus would take care of the rest.
We often castigate ourselves for doubting in the Lord or doubting some of the teachings of our faith. We do not know what they are all about and they confuse us. We just as quickly think that God must frown upon us or be angry with us for nursing doubt. God knows us intimately. He knows the stuff of which we are made. He knows that we often doubt.
God does not hate us for having doubts. He addresses us in our doubt just He addressed Thomas and assures us of His presence, His love, and His understanding. If we share our doubts with the Lord, we give Him the chance to reveal Himself more fully to us.
FAITH ACTION: If there are things about the faith that you find yourself doubting, ask God to open your mind and heart to their explanation and/or reality.