Doubt, when approached thoughtfully, can be a catalyst for deeper understanding and faith. The Bible acknowledges doubt and offers several stories of people who have asked questions years before us. It also offers encouragement for those who are asking questions.
James 1:5 states, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him." This verse assures us that wanting and asking for answers and wisdom from God is not only allowed, but encouraged. God actually invites us to ask questions.
John 20:27 provides another perspective. In this passage, Jesus addresses Thomas, who doubted His resurrection. Jesus says, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." While Jesus’ response asks Thomas to move on from doubt, it does acknowledge Thomas’s struggle and meets him in his place of doubt. We may doubt, but there will be answers. I’ve seen this verse used as a way to tell people to stop doubting without actually offering a direction on how to navigate the doubt. Jesus offered the answer to the question before He invited Thomas to move on from doubting.
Mark 9:24 offers another point: "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" This prayer from a father begging for healing for his child reflects both having faith and doubt. It shows that even in doubt, there is still room for belief and trust in God’s power. To doubt doesn’t mean the absence of faith. To have faith does not mean the absence of doubt.
The Importance of Honest Processing
Faith is not opposed to reason or reality, though it might sometimes feel that way. We can read countless stories of God performing miracles and Jesus healing the sick. Yet, we might pray for our sister’s healing, only to see her remain bed-ridden. We might struggle to pay our mortgage while watching our neighbor—who may not be the nicest person—acquire the new Cybertruck. It’s natural to question, “Why do good things happen to bad people?” or “Why do bad things happen to good people?” and to wonder how faith fits into these experiences. I have doubted that some Christian traditions should still be included today, such as: preventing a divorced pastor from preaching on Sundays, not letting people in the LGBTQ community be in leadership, if women should be pastors or not. As you might see, my doubts tend to be focused around leadership and church structure.
Doubt is not an enemy of faith but can be a means of deepening it.
What was helpful for me at times was reading stories like Job’s or David’s in the Bible. We see that questioning can lead to stronger faith rather than undermining it. Job has undergone much worse circumstances than I have and kept his belief while questioning God’s intent. He (somehow) manages to confess in the end,
“Then Job answered the Lord and said:2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.4 ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
Questions about our beliefs should not be avoided or seen as something to overcome. They should be embraced as part of our journey towards truth and wisdom. Job did just that. It’s through wrestling with doubts that our faith can be refined and strengthened if we let it. Job chose to seek God and his faith became stronger because of it.
Navigating Doubt
Doubts should be explored openly, but it should also be paired with searching for truth. Read Scripture, seek guidance from mature believers, and engage with other theological resources - there are plenty. When you want to find truth in your doubts, you will find it.
I allowed myself to plunge into the unknown landscape of doubting. It felt like walking through a pitch-black room. Everything was unfamiliar, and I often felt lost. But I kept one thing in mind to help guide me back if I became overwhelmed —something I knew to be true: love is real. I believed that true love must come from somewhere, and God says He is love. Holding onto that truth helped me find my way through the darkness when things got tough. No matter what I was learning, I chose to believe that if it didn’t mean true love, then it wasn’t true.
This section is written in the past tense because I can pinpoint a time where I was doubting a lot. I feel more ‘on the mountaintop’ than the dark valley - as Christians like to say. But, I know there will be more valleys.
Conclusion
Doubt, when approached with honesty and desire for understanding, can be instrumental to your growth as a person emotionally and spiritually. The Bible provides us with examples of faithful people who wrestled with doubt and found their faith strengthened through the process. We’re also given several stories of people who wrestle and decide to pursue another value in life. But, when you embrace doubt, you can deepen your relationship with God, self, people and the world around you. Share your questions, ask your questions, have grace when people don’t have answers, but continue to seek God and truth.
Doubt freely, but seek truth diligently.
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