Is it okay to doubt?

Reflection

Do you ever think your faith is not strong enough? Do you think Christians all believe exactly the same thing, understand God completely, know Jesus entirely, and have read the Bible cover to cover? Each of us has our doubts and fears, our hopes and aspirations. We have different expressions of faith and different ways to worship. It takes a lot of courage to admit to others in Church that we don’t know all the answers and more than that, that we sometimes doubt. However, doubt is an important part of faith. The majority of Christians base their hope on faith, and their faith on trust in Jesus. Faith and doubt are not enemies, but siblings. Not two sides of the same coin, but stations on the journey. Faith and doubt are places in the same pilgrimage.

…Elizabeth Foden writes

Am I Doubting Thomas?

Who is the God we worship, creator of heaven and earth?
Inventor of all creatures, midwife for all birth
Omnipotent, invisible and watching from on high
Did he really send his only son to be crucified, left to die?

The life story so chronicled of Jesus’ time on earth
Begins with the Nativity, the miracle of his birth
The legends that surround him of miracles and mystery
The legacy of his teachings all wrapped up in our history

Did he stand by the Sea of Galilee and preach by the tide less shore?
Did he share five loaves and two fishes to five thousand people or more?
And on his way to Capernaum, Can Matthew and Mark be right –
Did Jesus walk across the water in the fourth watch of the night?

Did Jesus heal the disease of lepers; did he help the blind to see?
Did Jesus tell all his disciples “Suffer the little children to come unto me”?
And in the Jars of Cana, according to the book of John
Did he turn water into wine on a wedding day years gone?

How truthful is the Bible on which in a court of law we swear?
Are its pages filled with fables, tales of people never there?
And how about wise Noah – was his wife really called Nelly?
Or was that a childhood programme I used to watch on telly?

And like the tower of Babel where language became confused
My thoughts became more jumbled the more I sat and mused
And so I ended my pondering because although God has much clout
As Christians in Him we should believe but like Thomas maybe I doubt?

Elizabeth Foden
Hand held out palm upwards and towards the rising sun

7 Comments

    1. What a beautiful poem – and I’m sure most Christians can empathise with you as we all get tossed about on the waters of life at times, no matter how strong our faith.
      But God has his people, he has you, by an invisible thread, and he won’t let go.
      He doesn’t want robots, he wants relationship.

      To everyone I say, Keep seeking Him, keep seeking the Truth. Talk to Him.
      I did for years but found him in and through nature – and only then were the my eyes of my heart opened to understand and receive the Truth of his word in the bible – which I now love and value greatly – and am still learning from, and tussling with, on a regular basis.

      We are all different – sometimes a few words from the bible – out of the blue – maybe even on radio or TV – changes lives all round the world – and it does say, “My word shall not return to me empty.”
      So don’t give up on it – it is the word of life (and useful for teaching, reproof and correction – and OK we may not like that bit, but lets face it, we all need it!).

      We are all precious to Him – unique and wonderfully made – and fit for the purposes he has for us.
      God Loves You.
      God Bless You.
      Linn

  3. I can so empathise with your poem Elizabeth and throughout my life I have had periods of strong belief and then great doubts. I find it most difficult to reconcile a loving God with suffering, cruelty and injustice in the world, but as Linn says God did not build robots and unfortunately the bad things in the world are caused by those who do not follow Gods path and others suffer because of it. All the words of the Lord’s prayer are precious but the ones I pray most sincerely are ” Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven “.
    Thank you for your poem Elizabeth and your words Linn.

  4. What an honest and thoughtful poem ,I think we can all have moments of doubt some more than others I used to struggle when I did my pastoral training I sometimes just didn’t get it , but over the years of reading and re-reading my Bible certain scriptures spoke to me in a different way even though I’d seen some many times I believe God doesn’t bombard our mind with to.much just little steps to absorb his word , sometimes were all tested like job ?he never gave up trusting God he kept his faith and God blessed him more than before,God does test us but like linn said he’s got us by that invisible thread I’m still on the journey like we all are enjoy.margaret.

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