Doubt and Faith

Once, when John the Baptist was in jail, he asked his followers to go and find Jesus and to ask him, “Are you the one we were expecting, or should we look for someone else?” Remember John was a man of deep faith. And yet, even he has a moment of doubt. Even he had questions. 

It’s interesting, I’ve actually heard other Christians say that there is no room for doubt in faith.  I once went to a Bible study where I asked a pressing question and I was made to feel like I was in danger of the fires of hell, simply because I asked the question. I was told that if I would just go get my relationship with Jesus straight, then I wouldn’t have the questions in the first place.

But if that’s true, why is it that some of the people who have the deepest faith are some of the same people who have also wrestled intensely with doubt? Why is it that doubt and pressing questions are found all throughout our scripture? 

Albert Einstein once said, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity. “

Let us pray: Thank you, God, for your awesome love for us. Thank you for coming to us, even when we doubt, even when we struggle, even when we are not sure what to believe.  We come before you in all humility this day, realizing that we are flesh and blood. We don’t have all the answers, we don’t know all there is to know. But, we simply ask that you would keep us open to moments of mystery and holiness. Keep us open to you. Amen.