Download ^HOT^ A Question Of Faith Movie
Joyce Wagner
I once heard a well-meaning pastor say that in his many years of following Christ, he had never doubted his faith. Maybe you can identify with him. If that's the case, that's wonderful! But maybe you're like me and have struggled with doubt at some point. So, what does all this mean? Is doubt a sin? How do you deal with doubt?
Circumstantial doubt is doubt about God that creeps into your life due to difficult circumstances. It would be like someone from Ray's family saying, "I've asked God over and over to heal him, and He hasn't. Is God real? Does He actually hear me?" Or maybe you're trying to live out your faith at work and the only thing that's gotten you is a reprimand from the boss and ostracism from your colleagues. The list could go on and on.
Salvific doubt is the kind I struggled with for many years. It's doubting the authenticity of your salvation. I believe there are two reasons that you could doubt your salvation. First, it may be due to spiritual warfare. If Satan can cause you to doubt the very foundation of your faith, then he has you paralyzed in your mission for Christ. On the other hand, maybe you doubt your salvation because God in His mercy is sounding an alarm in your soul. It's important to prayerfully consider whether your faith decision was to become a person who enjoys church and good morals or to really, authentically, and passionately follow Christ. If you struggle with this type of doubt, reading the book of 1 John is a great place to begin working through it.
Have you ever run across a verse in God's Word that seemed to contradict what you know to be true about God? Or maybe in college you heard a professor say something based on supposed scientific evidence that made you step back and question basic beliefs about your faith. This is called intellectual doubt. Ignoring your questions will only increase your doubts.
A few years ago I moved to a different culture to assume a role in ministry that was entirely different than anything I had ever done. It was uncomfortable for me and for my family. To say that I felt tension every day would be an understatement. But that season of life forced me out of my comfort zone. As a result, I grew more in my faith and in the important relationships in my life than I ever had before. That's what tension handled in a healthy way does: It forces you to grow.
The first class I had in seminary was Philosophy of Religion. The professor posed a question that I will never forget: "If somehow today you became aware of evidence that disproved Christianity altogether, would you still be a Christian?" His point was well taken - God gave you a brain, and He doesn't expect you to power it down when you begin following Christ. God is honored by sincere faith. At the same time, you must "always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you" (1 Peter 3:15). That is, you should know why you believe what you believe.
Throughout the Bible, it speaks about the restoration of faith through prayer, fasting, and obedience. God invites us to seek Him, then to hold tight to His response when He gives it. James 1:6 reads:
A seed of faith buried deep in the ground has a shell of protection around it to shield it from the elements. When a sapling sheds the protection of the seed to poke its head above the ground, it is vulnerable to wind, rain, snow, and animals. But its roots keep it tethered to the ground. And the tugs of the wind and the rain actually help to strengthen the sapling into a tree that can withstand torrential storms without a shell. Your faith is the same.
Childlike faith is open to learning something new, to changing shape, to being wrong, and to asking hard questions. It is curious and eager to explore without demanding five pages of proof to verify each discovery.
When you let your curiosity guide you without ruling you, you find that your faith does not depend on your ability to answer every single question you or anyone else poses about God. And you end up stronger for it.
Grace Ruiter co-founded Faithward and oversaw its growth from a small blog to a ministry that reaches 100,000-200,000+ people each month. She has been asking too many questions ever since she started talking, and she has no plans of stopping now. Although her curiosity has challenged her faith at times, it's also how her relationship with God has grown to where it is today. You can get in touch with Grace at gracerui...@gmail.com.
Religion and spirituality are complex but important topics in the wake of a loss. Religion can be an incredible comfort in times of loss. But losses can also cause us to question our faith, as we struggle to make sense of the death. And, in cases like the quote above, grief can confuse our feelings about our faith... and our faith can confuse feelings about our grief.
What becomes complicated is when one internalizes these quotes and starts to feel that the depth of their grief is somehow reflective of their faith. This can leave believers questioning why they are still feeling the pain of grief when someone they love is now with God.
Grief is our natural reaction to a loss. We feel a deep and aching pain when someone we love is no longer with us. When someone we love is gone, we feel the dozens of emotions that come with grief: sadness, anger, guilt, fear, loneliness, blame, and more than I can possibly list. Though faith that someone is in a better place or that you will see them again can be a comfort, this does not remove the pain that the person is gone. It does not change the trauma that can come from watching someone suffer from a prolonged or painful illness. This does not eliminate the anger, blame, guilt, regret, or countless other feelings that can come up following a death.
Faith communities should be a place of comfort and support in times of loss. Thankfully, for many they are. But, the longer I work with grievers, the more I learn that not every faith community brings this support. In fact, some bring judgment and criticism for the emotions of grief, fixating on the idea that grief and faith cannot coexist. This leaves grievers feeling as though their grief has been minimized or misunderstood. If you have felt this way, I encourage you to consider that grieving the separation from someone you love can exist along with a faith that they are in a better place and that you will see them again.
If you are not finding the support you need in you congregation, it may be worth reaching out to others with a similar faith background who have also experienced loss. We have said it a thousand times before and we will say it again today:
After struggling for 20 years with drug addiction, my beloved brother died of an overdose a year ago. My mother and I still cry as if he died yesterday. It will never heal over. I have faith but also anger with God for letting him suffer; I question it daily. But I also see that God comes to me most through my pain and the sorest places in my heart. I know too that I will see my brother again.
The faith in God or should I say my God has given me so much comfort. Like the verse say we do not grieve without hope. My certain hope is that one day I will see my husband again. But also my certain hope/faith in God has carried me every day. I have prayed cried out to God and have seen so many answers to prayer. I am not over it/through it but when I have days when I feel overwhelmed again by it all God reminds me that he loves me and the bible also promises he is faith and never leaves me.
I think if you take this one verse in isolation you don t get the full picture of how our faith/our God carries us through every day. There are so many other promises in the bible we need to see the whole picture.
Everybody says read Job. Reading Job breaks my heart. God and Satan conspire together to see if Job will continue to have faith. Time and time again, God allows Job to be tested. What kind of God tests us? He knows all so He should know that we will fail?
Ken, thank you for taking the time to comment. I am so sorry to hear about the pain you are experiencing. It is so normal to question your faith in the face of loss. Your questions, disappointment, frustration, and doubt are completely valid.
Your comment brings tears to my eyes because I can connect to sadness and not having answers. We are there together right now. I find hope in faith but I relate to your sadness. I am sorry it is so hard and all encompassing at times. I hear you and am feeling it with you right now. Thank you for sharing.
I so needed to read this to understand my conflicting emotions. My mother passed away 3 weeks ago, and I sensed that the pastor was admonishing me for lack of faith when I exhibited grief at her funeral. I have been questioning my lack of faith since. My mother was so faithful to her God, and knew absolutely where she was going. Makes me feel as though I have betrayed her memory.
And while we were allowed to ask questions in order to learn and understand these principles better, it was frowned upon (whether intentionally or implied) when we asked questions that actually brought into question the validity of these things.
How many times as parents are we quick to pounce on our kids when they question our beliefs or faith, making them feel guilty, rather than welcoming such questioning, knowing that it allows them to deepen their understanding of those things and actually make them their own?
Allowing our children permission to question their faith (and ours) is one of the keys to helping it become THEIR faith. (This is equally important if you teach children in a church or other setting).
Okay, your turn: What faith questions do you have? Do you view doubt as a weakness, or an opportunity for growth and exploration? If your kids have questions about God, how do you plan to handle them?
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