Purpose of Doubt

“Faith which does not doubt is dead faith” -Miguel de Unamuno

Many contend that we shouldn’t doubt, that doubt is some how the enemy of our faith.

However, doubt isn’t our enemy. God is big enough for our questions and doubts. The Bible deals with people who struggled with doubt and hard questions head on:

“I cry out to you, O God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me… when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness." Job 30:20, 26, NIV.

Many biblical heroes of the Faith doubted and struggled with dry season in their journey with God! Men like Abraham, Moses, Gideon, Elijah, Samuel, John the Baptist, and even Jesus’ disciples.

David expressed, under inspiration of Holy Spirit, his doubts and spiritual dryness.

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent." Psalm 22:1-2, NIV.

Circumstances led to doubt. Experience trumped belief. Pain darkened his faith.

So, if doubting isn’t unbiblical or an indication of a lack of faith, what do we do with it?

We Walk by Faith.


How? To Walk by Faith, Explore Your Doubts.

God doesn’t correct doubt and spiritual struggle, but teaches His followers to embrace these seasons as part of their faith-journey.

We’re not robots programmed on how to think nor lemmings in a mindless religious cult. Jesus' called us to make "disciples" which means literally "students".

Investigate, study, explore. (see 1 Peter 3:15-16)

When hard questions arise, don’t run from them, allow them to drive you to deeper exploration of the Bible, heightened understanding of truth, and an emboldened faith. The greatest struggles in doubt forge our strongest convictions.

To walk by faith, trust.

"All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: 8 “He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” Psalm 22:7-8, NIV.

But faith isn’t just a blind belief. Faith is substance. Faith is active.
How do we demonstate trust? In a bridge? We are willing to rely on it and put our life into care. This trust is earned and learned. Observed and experienced.

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17, NKJV.

Faith grows as we hear and read God’s Story in the midst of scar stories.

We are invited to trust what we discover to be trustworthy- that Jesus is the Son of God.

To walk by faith, obey.

LORD, I praise you in the great meeting of your people; these worshipers will see me do what promised. Psalm 22:25, NCV.

The word “faith” in Greek is means both to trust (rely on) and obey. Not just belief, but my dependence on truth produces action.

And in Hebrew, there is no separation between knowledge and action. To" know" means to live accordingly. We often “know”, but don’t respond. Faith means that my actions match my beliefs.

God’s story intersects with our story, and the scars of Jesus heal our scars.