There’s a lie in Christianity that many of us have fallen for: the lie that you can’t have strong, unwavering faith in God and also struggle with doubt.
But doubt affects us all in different ways. Marriages crumble, diagnoses come, natural disasters and other tragedies happen, all things that cause us to doubt. And when doubt about God creeps in, so does doubt about our own faith.
But there’s hope. As Christian author Philip Yancey put it, “Where there is certainty, there is no room for faith.” Doubt, when approached in a healthy way, can actually be a building block for even stronger faith. So how can we unlock the hidden power of doubt and use it to reinforce what we believe about God?
What to do when doubt creeps in
We tend to experience doubt when what we’re looking for and what we see don’t match – like when you pray for something, and the outcome isn’t what you were expecting or hoping for. It leads us to ask skeptical questions like:
- God, what are you doing in this?
- Why did you let this happen?
- How can anything good come out of this?
But instead of jumping to the worst conclusions about God – or pushing these questions down and trying to forget about them – the best thing to do when doubt comes is to lean in and use these questions to help you doubt your doubts.
How to doubt your doubts
If doubt comes when what you’re looking for and what you see don’t line up, it’s time to change what you’re looking for. And the best way to start doing that is to look at God’s word. Romans 8:28 gives us a great reminder:
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28
If we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love him, we can use that truth to shape how we view our doubts. It can also help us reframe the questions we tend to ask most when we doubt and help us return to faith as the answer. Let’s try it with the three questions we outlined earlier:
God, what are you doing in this?
Asking from doubt: You don’t think God cares, and you’re doubtful he’s as good as he says he is.
Asking from faith: You know God is working all things out for the good of those who love him, so there must be something he’s working on behind the scenes.
Why did you let this happen?
Asking from doubt: You don’t think God is in control because what you’re seeing doesn’t look like something God should be allowing.
Asking from faith: You believe God is purposeful in everything he does, and you're curious what he’s trying to teach you or how he might be trying to strengthen you through these circumstances.
How can anything good come out of this?
Asking from doubt: You don’t see a good outcome to the current situation, so there must not be one. You doubt God’s goodness.
Asking from faith: You believe God is working all things out for good, and you’re curious – maybe even excited – to see how he turns this situation around.
How to never doubt again
The only surefire way to never have doubt is to never believe in anything in the first place. Doubt is inevitable, especially when you put your faith in God and the mysterious, unexpected ways he often works. But when you reframe your doubtful questions and start expecting God to work in the mess, your faith will gain its footing once again.
-----
Doubting your doubts doesn’t always come naturally. But with every prayer we pray and every day we spend in the Bible, we can learn more truths about God that help us challenge our doubts. Spending time in a Bible Reading Plan, like this one about doubt, is a great way to build the habit of prayer and reading God’s word.
-----
LCBC stands for Lives Changed By Christ. We are one church in multiple locations across Pennsylvania. Find the location closest to you or join us for Church Online. We can’t wait to connect with you!