Doubt is Honesty

 

"Doubt is not a sin"

Did you realize that?

Eugene H. Peterson said that and added,

"Doubt is honesty."

The name 'Doubting Thomas' is a misnomer, or at least, a mis - condemnation.  If we are being honest, we'd see that Thomas was also being honest.

Think about it.

He'd been on the wildest rollercoaster ride of his life for the past three or so years and these very last couple of weeks had been the wildest of the wildest.  No wonder he couldn't come to terms with the newest event, at first.  

At the beginning of "Passion Week," Jesus had triumphantly ridden into Jerusalem on a donkey.  By the end of that same week, there appeared to be absolutely NO triumph, only total devastation with Jesus having been crucified, then shut-up, buried in a tomb, which was sealed, rock solidly.  Now they're telling Thomas, "Jesus is alive!"

"Yeah, right!  I'll believe that when I see it!" we can image Thomas blurting.

Can't you just imagine saying similarly yourself?   That's honesty.

Peterson went on to say doubts seep in because, 

"...things are not as they appear.  We see contradictions between what we believe versus what we experience...why aren't things turning out the way we were taught to expect?"

We're taught to behave and be well mannered, to do what's right and things will go well.  Well, that's just not happening!  Then we hear complaints like,

"I do what's right and the boss still scolds!"  

Or, 

"I read my Bible, prayed, went to church faithfully all university semester time long but I didn't pass my course!"  (Ahem, did you study well and do the assignments?)

Again, we may hear, 

"I've lived a godly life but now my wife is terminally ill; I had an accident and totalled my car, and my teenager is in juvie.  This is definnitely what I did not expect!"

So doubts creep in.  Is God really good and faithful?  Is He really here, with us?

"No mature faith avoids or denies doubt.  Doubt forces faith back to its bedrock" (Eugene H. Peterson).

Will we still trust our Heavenly Father who cares for us?

Our faith will get challenged and stretched to breaking point doubt.  This is how our faith can mature, especially when we are compelled to turn to our Sovereign God, through Jesus.  Pray honestly and turn your dependancy towards Him, come what may.

I doubt you'll disagree.

Thomas did eventually believe even though he did see hands-on first.  He went on, so history tells us, to bring the message of Jesus all the way to what we know today, as India.

May each and every one of us place our faith and reliance on the One who died for us, who rose again, and is alive and championing us before the throne of grace, with our Heavenly Father, God.

Abba Father, there are times we doubt Your goodness and care.  We are sorry about that but remember that You remember we are but dust and so Your grace and mercy extend their sceptre towards us in our times of doubt.  We want to be totally honest about our doubts and so we name them one by one (reader do so as you pray here) to You. Thank-You gracious Father for hearing us out and bringing us peace of mind in the end so that our relationship with You can flourish as it must have done with Thomas of old.  In Jesus' name we give You thanks and praise.

                                                       ~ERC  June 2022~

Based on Lesson 10 - Praying Our Doubt - Psalm 73, By Eugene H. Peterson.

Sing, Planted By The Water, along with, Myles Mitchell.  Also, Be Like A Tree, Florence Chun.