The unbelief that strikes us all
ChatGPTHave you ever struggled with doubt? If so, you join me and a multitude of other followers of Christ who have shared this human weakness.
Even Mother Teresa battled unbelief and depression. Working among the slums of Calcutta, India, she experienced spiritual darkness and an extended feeling of separation from God.
Martin Luther had doubts about God's character. He wrote about one such instance: "For more than a week I was close to the gates of death and hell. I trembled in all my members. Christ was wholly lost. I was shaken by desperation and blasphemy of God."
In Mark 9, a desperate father pleads with Jesus to free his son from an evil spirit. But even as he speaks directly to the Son of God, the man struggles with disbelief, famously saying in verse 24, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
How can we, who have never seen Jesus, think we'll escape doubt?
Doubt can come in various forms. It could be uncertainty about whether God cares; wondering why he won't relieve us from suffering; if he's really in control of this evil world; maybe if he even exists at all.
For me, it often hits when I choose to focus on me—my pain, my desires, my fears. During these moments of spiritual collapse, I can put more faith in money, people, or my own talents. I depend on myself.
In his 1976 book, In Two Minds: The Dilemma of Doubt & How to Resolve It, theologian Os Guinness writes, "If ours is an examined faith, we should be unafraid to doubt. If doubt is eventually justified, we were believing what clearly was not worth believing. But if doubt is answered, our faith has grown stronger. It knows God more certainly and it can enjoy God more deeply."
There are many examples of doubters in the Bible besides the father in Mark 9. See Mt. 11:3 (John the Baptist), Judges 6:36-40 (Gideon), and Gen. 17:17 (Abraham).
In addition to the book mentioned above, I found two wonderful articles if you or someone you know is struggling right now:
An Open Letter to Christians Who Doubt (Crossway.org)
Doubt: A Personal History (Desiring God)
Remember, the Lord is not offended when our faith is weak. He is "a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness" (Psalm 86:15, NIV).
Lord, answer our doubts. Grow our faith. Thank you for loving us despite our unbelief.
 | Tom Harper is publisher of BiblicalLeadership.com and executive chairman of Networld Media Group, a business-to-business publisher and event producer. He has written five books, including Servant Leader Strong: Uniting Biblical Wisdom and High-Performance Leadership (DeepWater Books, 2019) as well as the Christian business fable Through Colored Glasses and its sequel Inner Threat (DeepWater, 2022). Learn More » |
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