I have been reading a book entitled, “The Myth of Certainty,” by Daniel Taylor. It has seemed to me for a long time that doubt has a part to play in the life of faith. Daniel Taylor offers this insight,
“Perhaps doubt, rather than something to be crushed, can be made to serve faith. Doubt can only be robbed of its paralyzing and destructive qualities when it is admitted for what it is – which isn’t nearly as much as it appears when not admitted – and is accounted for in the process of faith. Normally doubt is seen as sapping faith’s strength. Why not the reverse? Where there is doubt, faith has its reason for being. Clearly faith is not needed where certainty supposedly exists, but only in situations where doubt is possible, even present.”
This topic of faith and doubt remind me of the story found in Mark 9. A father brings his boy who has an evil spirit to the disciples. They were not able to drive out the spirit so then Jesus becomes involved. There is some conversation between Jesus and the father with the father asking, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” Jesus responds, The father responded, “If you can? Everything is possible for him who believes.” “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Jesus rebukes the evil spirit, the boy is healed, and the disciples ask Jesus in private why they could not drive out the evil spirit. Jesus replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”
I identify with the father who seems to express faith and doubt at the very same moment. I need help with my doubt but not in order to gain certainty. Instead I need help with my doubt in order to take the next step of faith.
Faith for the Christian is expressed in following Jesus. He is the one we place our trust in. Jesus had faith in God and believed that all things were possible, but even Jesus expressed a moment of doubt when on the cross he offered these words, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me.” That moment of doubt was followed by an expression of faith and trust, “Into thy hands I commit my spirit.”
Whatever doubts you are struggling with, I encourage you to consider them a part of your faith journey and then offer this prayer, “I believe; help me overcome my unbelief.”
Amen!
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3 comments:
Doubts are real that is for sure. But in each case God also calls us to act: to speak, to worship, to bring others to God, to die. So does doubt than really simply become a prelude to action?
i guess it wouldn't be faith if it was certain, now would it? so, doubt is an essential ingredient. and i can't help but beleive that at some level, God made us that way ... he gave us that dang free will thing that allows us to doubt. what gets me, though, is that sometimes i really, really get it and i have all this faith and i know what i need to do to try and live like jesus and love the world and all that ... and then, i take it all back. and i'm in control and i want to run the show ... and of course i mess it up. i just wish once i had the faith, once i got to that place on this journey where i "knew" and i was certain, then all doubt would be pushed aside and i could luxuriate in that sense of grace. but alas, i am human. and like my brother jesus, we go back and forth. i guess i could be in worse company.
amen.
Response to Anonymous - I think courage and memory are important to the discussion of faith and doubt. It takes courage to take the next step of faith, even more so when we are in a time of doubt, desert, despair, "cloud of unknowing". This is where memory also is so important - personal of past times of faith and community - the faith of others we love and who love us - past testimony as found in the Bible - all this gives us hope as we "walk through the valley and shadow of death" - trusting in the One who died, but was resurrected - trusting that God who we have faith created us will see us through these desert times - these times of doubt - not only see us through but somehow we will even benefit. Thanks for your comment and thanks to Bill for this forum that is stretching me and engaging me and I have faith deepening my spirit. Greg
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