It’s Called Faith

Doubt is insidious. If we’re not careful, it seeps into every pore of our lives and riddles our faith with skepticism. 

Doubt is insidious. If we’re not careful, it seeps into every pore of our lives and riddles our faith with skepticism. Click To Tweet

Many of us have voiced the adage, “I won’t believe it until I see it.” And that’s how we live our lives: doubting everything that comes our way unless it has been proven.

Often, we get so caught up in our skepticism, we fail to recognize the truth of the obvious.

Doubt

Although few doubt my daughter Rachel’s friendliness or her ability to make people smile, some doubt her worth. As a child with limited intellectual abilities according to the world’s standards, some doubt whether she has anything to contribute to society, whether she can make a difference.

Sadly, some even question how as parents we can accept and love her. However, to those of us who have embraced Rachel, who have spent the time to uncover her gifts and talents, her worth—her influence is readily apparent.

Skepticism is certainly not new to our generation. The apostle Thomas refused to believe the Messiah rose from the dead until he saw Him for himself—until he could actually put his fingers in the nail holes and hand in Jesus’ side (John 20: 24–29). And many great men and women of the Bible doubted their ability to carry out their calling. Although to us reading the accounts thousands of years later, it is obvious they were perfect for the task.

Doubt can be traced all the way back to Adam and Eve’s questioning of God’s instructions. I am not saying never question the validity of anything. We are called to test:

“But test all things. Hold onto what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

We are given a reasoning mind and many tools with which to investigate claims. It would be foolish to take everything we see, hear, and feel at face value.

Believe by Faith

However, sometimes deep in our heart, we just know  a given truth—things like the Lord’s presence in our lives. It is not scientifically measurable, but it is certainly observable as we find the strength and wisdom to experience hope and joy in this broken, painful world.

Or consider the Gospel’s claim of the Promise. Certain historical events from long before the Savior’s death on the cross through the early days of the church have been verified scientifically; however, the mysteries of the Promise have not been and never can be. This doesn’t make salvation less true. Just like Rachel’s disabilities do not make her less significant.

Do not let yourself get caught in the trap of doubting the obvious. Believe that some truths just don’t need to be proven. It’s called faith.

We will not always understand God’s ways, but we can trust Him for our best.

We will not always understand God's ways, but we can trust Him for our best. Choosing to believe when you have questions is called faith. Click To Tweet

“Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” (John 20:29, ESV).

Your Turn

Reflections: Do you live your life based on doubts? If so, what are some obvious truths in your life you’ve doubted? Choose today to pray for wisdom and a discerning heart to embrace the truth even in the absence of scientific evidence.