Friday, May 7, 2010

Do you ever have doubts?

Do you ever find yourself doubting your faith and beliefs?  

Have you ever caught yourself thinking “is this real”?

The Lord has done so many things in my life and I’ve seen and experienced things that can only be attributed to a Divine Creator.  But the truth is I still catch myself questioning things and trying to assign rational explanations from time to time to things that can only be credited to God.  Fortunately that doesn’t happen very often (anymore) but it just wouldn’t be truthful to say I don’t have the occasional doubt.

I don’t know why but some Christians don’t want to admit that they have questions about Church Doctrine or basic Theology, much less admit they suffer bouts of doubt from time to time.  Somewhere along the way some develop the idea that questioning God, or admitting that we don’t understand something is a sin.   I’ve even heard it referred to as “spiritual treason”.  I believe you would have a difficult task in front of you if you went looking for anyone who claimed a deep faith in God who wouldn’t admit to the occasional doubt.

John the Baptist was a prophet and by that definition, God spoke to and through him.  Certainly someone who had that relationship with God would never suffer from doubt right?   Wrong.  While sitting in prison he sent a message to Jesus asking:
"Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"
Matthew 11:3

John the Baptist communed with God and baptized Jesus.  If he had doubts, something tells me it’s OK if we do too.   
In his book  “The Myth of Certainty,” Daniel Taylor doesn't choose to use the term “doubting Christians” he refers to the doubters among us as “reflective Christians.”  Nobody received all the answers when they made the decision to give their life to Christ, it doesn’t work that way.  Our growth is directly proportional to our desire to learn and the commitment we make to do so.  I like being a “reflective Christian” and love that God always remains faithful to us no matter what.
I pray that the grace and peace only available through Christ touches your life today.  

In His precious name,
Jeff