Wrestling with doubt in God

Doubt is not the absence of faith. Image: Nathan Cowley|Pexels

In some of our somber moments, especially when faced with severe adversities in life, we sometimes doubt the existence of God.

We ask: Is there a God? Why is there so much pain and hatred on Earth if there is a God? Why does He allow 9 million people to die yearly because of starvation? Why am I desperate, broken, and hated by my family?

These inquiries lead us to doubt the reality of God and His innate goodness.

The origins of doubt

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” – Genesis 3:1

Satan introduced doubt in the Garden of Eden. He questioned Eve about the integrity of God’s instruction about eating the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden.

The serpent said, “‘You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’” (Genesis 3:4-5). She believed the trickery of the Devil, doubted God, ate the fruit, and gave some to Adam.

Some doubters in the Bible:

God freed the skeptical and ungrateful Israelites from slavery at the hands of Pharaoh in Egypt. Yet they still doubted God’s goodness in their desert trek to the Promised Land.
Abraham laughed and doubted when God told him his wife, Sarah, would bear a son.
David showed strong faith, yet he often questioned and doubted God.
John the Baptist questioned the validity of Jesus as the Messiah.
The Apostle Thomas doubted the reality of the risen Christ.

Doubt: An enemy and companion of Faith

“Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” – John 20:29

One Sunday evening, the disciples gathered for supper, and the apostle Thomas was not with them. Suddenly, the risen Jesus appeared before the disciples. Shocked and scared, they thought they saw a ghost. Jesus said, “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” (Luke 24: 39).

Thomas doubted the news that Jesus rose from the dead. He said, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25).

After a week, Jesus appeared again before them, and Thomas was around. Jesus told Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:27-28).

Today, many people are skeptical about the existence of God. Doubt is a collective experience that works in diverse ways. When a Christian doubts, he challenges the presence of God. When an atheist or unbeliever doubts, he fears God is real.

Skepticism is Satan’s trick to make us lose our trust and reliance on God. But doubt and faith can co-exist. Skepticism does not necessarily mean the absence of faith.

You can only doubt what you already believe. Questioning and examining what we believe and doubt can result in stronger faith if we look and act for answers in the right places.

The pursuit of faith

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” – Hebrews 11:1

Many people say, “To see is to believe.” This phrase is usually uttered by atheists, agnostics, pragmatists, and existentialists who do not comprehend the truth of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible says our faith starts “small,” like a mustard seed. Rather than running away from our doubts, bringing our uncertainties to the Lord is best. Pray and read the Bible for illumination. Seek also the wise counsel of other mature believers and pastors.

Faith is sheer belief and is not static. When Thomas said he wouldn’t believe unless he felt the Lord’s wounds, he didn’t want faith. He wanted certainty.

When faced with doubts about God, do not get discouraged. The presence of doubt does not necessarily mean the absence of faith. On the contrary, doubt can lead us to grow in the knowledge of God.

The Bible reveals that God is Spirit. When we incessantly pursue our faith in God, the Holy Spirit indwells in us. Through this pious experience, we can feel His inner workings and witness the presence of God in our lives. Our doubts and uncertainties begin to vanish.

We should not remain as “Doubting Thomases.” Our growth as a believer comes as a response to our inquiries, driving us to seek the truth, examine God’s word, and discover a resolution to our doubts.