How Should Christians Respond to Doubt? LIVE Q&A for January 9, 2025
How Should Christians Respond to Doubt?
Hi, Pastor Guzik. I’ve been dealing with some doubts about my faith lately. I know that doubt is normal, but sometimes it feels like it’s pulling me away from God. How Should Christians respond when they experience doubt? Should we try to push it aside, or is it a healthy way to is there a healthy way to deal with it? I’d really appreciate your insight on how to navigate doubt without letting it shake my foundation.
That’s a great question. People deal with this very often in their Christian lives, experiencing seasons when they have doubts regarding one issue or another, such as: Is the Bible really the word of God? Is God really a God of love? Is Jesus really who He said He was? Did Jesus really rise from the dead? As questions come up, Christians can deal with seasons of doubt, whether temporarily or for a significant period of time.
There are two general errors we can fall into when doubt comes up. One error is to demonize doubt. This attitude, which could be created by ourselves or by our Christian community, assumes that any kind of doubt immediately puts you in the camp of the devil. It assumes that it’s your duty to accept everything that the Bible says as well as everything your preachers and teachers tell you, without any questioning or doubt. This error acts like it’s the worst sin in the world to say, “Well, why?” or, “I don’t really get it.” Or, “Can you explain more to me?” This demonization of doubt is something we should avoid. If we ourselves are in any kind of leadership role in Christian communities, we should let people know that they are welcome to share their doubts and we’re open to hearing about it. We want to talk it out. The Christian faith can really handle doubts on these issues. It really can. The Bible is true, and it will be proven true, even if a person has doubts from time to time about.
It is my testimony that I can say straightforwardly that, after more than 40 years of following the Lord, and almost that many years in ministry, I believe. I don’t have a doubt that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I don’t have a doubt that the Bible is true and reliable. I don’t have a doubt that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. I don’t have a doubt about God’s promises to His people. I’ve seen them tried and I’ve seen them confirmed again and again and again. But I don’t despise people who have their seasons of doubt. These are things that need to be thought about and worked through. So, the demonization of doubt is a problem.
On the other hand, there is also sometimes a glorification of doubt. I just shared about the confidence I have in the Bible, and the confidence I have in the truth that it presents, that Jesus Christ really is who He says He is. There are some people who would shake their head and think that type of confidence is a very sad thing on my part. They think that if I was a mature believer, if I was really a man given over to great philosophy, I’d have a lot more doubts about that. I want you to know whatever doubts I have had I worked through, and now I’m just standing solid on the foundation of God’s Word and God’s truth. I am confident not only because of the truth of God’s word, but also from the testimony of the Holy Spirit in my life and through others in my life as well.
It’s possible for us to glorify doubt and act as if it’s something beautiful or wonderful for a person to experience. Listen, I don’t want anybody to demonize people who are dealing with issues of doubt, but I think that we should regard doubt as something that should be a transitionary phase. I don’t think God wants us to remain in our doubts. God is patient with us. He’ll work through these things with us, but God wants us to come out of doubt into a place of secure, settled belief. He’ll work with us. He’ll be gracious to us in and through it all.
Think of the marvelous way Jesus dealt with the man who we call Doubting Thomas. Now, if I were to do a diagnosis of Thomas’ condition, I might assume it was more than just doubt. Doubt seems to be a little too gentle to describe where Thomas was. But let’s just say that he’s an example of somebody who doubted. Jesus didn’t despise Thomas’ doubts, but He also called him to true belief, and He gave Thomas the evidence needed for belief. I believe that’s what God wants to do with the seeking heart today. He doesn’t despise our doubts. If we’ll pay attention to Him, He’ll guide us through our doubts and give us evidence.
I need to say a word about that evidence, although I don’t think that it’s necessarily our place to stand back and metaphorically fold our arms and demand that God give us the evidence that we desire. If a person says, “I’ll believe that God is real if an elephant knocks on my door tomorrow morning.” Is it possible for God to make an elephant knock at your door tomorrow morning? I suppose, in theory, that’s possible, but it sets up a bizarre and haughty command upon God to perform such a thing. We don’t need to have that kind of attitude where we just make up whatever we can think of. I believe God gives us reasonable and effective evidence and reason to believe. God gives that to His people. So, we need to search out those reasons and work through them.
I think it’s okay for a person to question their faith. It’s okay for a person to ask, “Why do I believe the Bible? Why do I believe that Jesus is God incarnate? Why do I believe that His death on the cross matters? Why did the death of Jesus matter more than the deaths of the thieves who were crucified on His right hand and left hand? How do I how do I really know that that God’s promises are true? It’s okay to ask these questions about the Bible. It’s okay for a person to question their faith, but here’s what you have to do as well. You have to question your doubts too. Some people are pretty good at questioning their faith, but they’re terrible at questioning their doubts, and they assign automatic, powerful authority to their doubts, no matter what they are. And I’m here to tell you, some of your doubts are crazy. Some of your doubts just don’t make sense. Some of your doubts need to be absolutely put away in the name of Jesus Christ. Look at them, examine them, talk to people about them. And talk with people who know more. Talk to people who have moved through that glorious transition from doubt to faith.
Realize that it’s possible that sometime in the future that you may find yourself in a place of doubt. That’s okay, but God doesn’t intend that to be a permanent place for us. Rather, it is meant to be a transitory place for us to work through and come to a settled faith.
If you’re doubting and struggling, God has answers for you. The Lord loves you. Ask God to help you work through your doubts. Make that your very conscious goal, not just to have your doubts and hold on to them, but to be willing to read and understand and learn from God and His word so that you come to a place of settled faith. We never want doubt to be our destination. There are people who give the idea that the more you know, the less you should believe. Not true, friends, not true. We can come to a place of settled, beautiful assurance. I’m in that place, friends. I don’t doubt that the Bible is the Word of God. I’ve spent too much time in deep study and deep fellowship with God in and through His word to doubt that it’s His word. I don’t doubt the promises of God. I do sometimes doubt my ability to adequately understand and explain God’s word. That can always use some improvement. But God wants you to be able to move from a season of doubt into that place of settled faith.
