Articles and Bible Questions

The Protestant reformer and theologian, John Calvin, once said, “While we teach that faith ought to be certain, we cannot imagine any certainty that is not tinged with doubt, or assurance that is not [troubled] by some anxiety.” 

I agree with Calvin’s assertion that our faith is certain and salvation for the believer is assured. Once you are saved, as the Lord said, “no one will snatch [you] out of [Jesus’] hand” (John 10:28). 

But I also deeply resonate with the reality that doubt and anxiety are part of every honest Christian’s life. The Lord would not have told us “to be anxious about nothing” if we weren’t naturally anxious about everything. There can be a disconnect between heart and head—between what we know to be theologically true and what we feel in our hearts as we face various trials. 

The fact that my salvation is guaranteed through faith in Christ does not provide automatic immunity from the temptation to doubt my worthiness, question God’s goodness, or feel unsure about my growth in Christ. Frankly, these are all tools that Satan and his demons love to use to tempt and discourage us. 

Sadly, church leaders and pastors have driven people away from hope and the church, because of the guilt they’ve imposed on those who have doubts. Some have said that doubt is tantamount to unbelief, and that no one can be saved who questions God. Some go so far as to say that God is angry at anyone who doubts Him. 

These pastors clearly haven’t spent enough time studying the lives of Abraham, Gideon, Job, or Thomas. Their biographies in Scripture feature God graciously and patiently helping them surface their doubts, find reassurance through Him, and ultimately draw closer to Him in faith and fellowship. 

Here are some lessons I’ve learned to help me live in faith even in the midst of doubt. 

FIRST, WE CAN’T HIDE OUR DOUBTS FROM GOD, SO LET’S BRING THEM TO HIM OPENLY. 

Because God knows our innermost thoughts and discerns the secrets of our heart, it is useless to try and hide our doubts from Him. Rather, God invites us to bring our doubts to Him in prayer, so He can offer us guidance and reassurance. 

When God told Abraham that his wife would bear a son at age ninety, Abraham “fell on his face and laughed and said to himself ‘Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old?'” (Genesis 17:17). Notice, he first laughed. This word can be translated “deride.” It’s a word for scoffing laughter, the kind that comes from disbelief. Abraham is seriously doubting God. 

Abraham also secretly questions the power of God to himself. He’s not saying these words out loud, but he’s questioning God in the secrecy of his heart. 

Even though Abraham isn’t speaking to God, God still hears him, answers him, and reassures him that yes, in fact, His promise will come true. 

If you are struggling with doubt today, God already knows. You can’t hide it from His sight. The better practice is to communicate your doubts directly to Him and ask for the assurance only He can give. 

GOD IS NOT CONTENT FOR US TO REMAIN IN OUR DOUBTS, BUT HIS GRACE IS STILL EXTENDED TO US WHEN WE DOUBT. 

As we learned from the life of Gideon in our last Heart to Heart, Gideon tested God’s promises twice. He asked God to make a fleece wet while keeping the ground dry, and then the next night he asked God to do the opposite. 

God wanted Gideon to trust Him, not test Him. And remember, doubt is a struggle we are called to work through, not a state of mind God wants us to remain in. Ultimately, our trust in Him develops us as we work through our doubts. 

Disciple Thomas is well known for his moment of doubt. After hearing that the resurrected Jesus had appeared to the other disciples, Thomas proclaimed, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, … and place my hands into his side, I will never believe” (John 20:25). 

Jesus could have given up on Thomas. The Lord had already been abandoned by Judas, and the Lord could have easily replaced Thomas, too! 

Instead, Jesus appeared to Thomas and allowed him to place his fingers in His nail holes and his hand into Jesus’ pierced side. The Lord didn’t want Thomas to remain in a cycle of doubt, and He doesn’t want us to either. 

God may not perform a miracle to alleviate your doubts, and He won’t appear to let you see His scars until His second coming, but He displays His faithfulness and power every day to all of us. 

Did you get up this morning? The oxygen in your lungs is the creative power of God. 

Do you have food to eat? God provides your daily bread. 

Did the sun rise? God ordained the sun and moon to orbit in their places. 

So, bring your doubts to God and find assurance in His faithfulness. The evidence is all around you.