It’s Okay to Doubt

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.”

- John 20:26-27

Growing up, we're taught that part of learning is asking questions. My dad would always say, "If you don't understand, it's your responsibility to ask the question."

So why do we approach faith differently?

We get nervous when people start asking questions. We feel like we are doing something wrong when we have doubts.

A lot of that stems from this story about Thomas.

Mary saw Jesus' tomb completely empty. She ran and told the disciples about her encounter with him. They didn't believe her. Then Jesus appears to the disciples, even though the doors were locked, and they believe. But Thomas wasn't there. He says, "I want to see for myself."

When Jesus appears a third time, he's not condemning Thomas for questioning, or even doubting. In fact, the Greek word for doubt doesn't even show up in this text! It translates better to, "do not become unbelieving, but believe."

You see, it's not the doubt or the questioning that is the issue. It's the becoming.

Jesus wants to know: when life gets hard, and you start asking questions and wrestling with God and your faith, will you remain faithful? Will you still trust in Christ and follow his call? Will you still trust that God is good even when life isn't?

I reference this story all the time, but one of the foundational stories of our faith is when Jacob wrestles God in the wilderness. And haven't we all wrestled with God in the wilderness of our life?? When Jacob wrestles God, he refuses to let go until God blesses him. So God knocks Jacob's hip out of socket, blesses him, and gives him a new name: Israel, which means, wrestles with God.

My friends - God wants us to wrestle!

Ask any teacher - when you ask questions and dig deeper, it's because you care. Simply questioning God means you trust that somehow God is there and will answer. Our doubts and questions can help us learn and dive even deeper into our faith. We just have to be brave enough, and trusting enough, to ask them. May we all have the courage of Thomas - to not just believe what we are told, but to ask, to dig deeper, to want to know for ourselves.

And the good news? Even with locked doors, even with doubts and questions, Jesus still shows up. Jesus still breaks in and says, "Peace be with you."

Even when we struggle to choose to walk with God, God will always choose to walk with us.