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We played this video tonight at our high school group’s Wednesday night worship gathering. Melissa talked about her personal battles when it comes to doubt, and did some digging in Scripture to try and figure out what a healthy amount of doubt looks like. Because we all doubt sometimes, don’t we?
I know enough about God to know that he exists. Sometimes I have absolutely no idea what He is doing, but I have a pretty good picture of who He is based on what I’ve learned from the bible, the world we live in, and my own story. I believe in his divine benevolence, but this article is about a guy who simply couldn’t believe in God’s divine benevolence. That article stirred up some doubts for me about the accuracy of the picture I have of God. I believe God is good, and that ultimately God can and will restore and heal this broken planet. But I’m human, and worms eating eyes stirs up doubt for me.
This guy is convinced that there isn’t a God. He says he knows there isn’t a god. I say I know there is. I used to doubt whether or not there was pretty before I became a Christian and even afterward for a couple years. But those doubts have decreased dramatically over the years.
It’s tricky because I trust God, but I buckle my seat belt. I trust God, but I lock my door at night. I trust God, but I save money for emergencies. I trust God, but I sometimes think my plan is better. I trust God, but I sure would like to see those hands of His.
I feel like I have pretty solid faith in God. I talk about my relationship with God, because that is what it is.
But sometimes I doubt, and I think that’s ok. Right?
Do you doubt? All the time or just occasionally? How does it affect you? If you attend a church, do you feel like it is a safe place to talk about your doubts?
ryanguard.net 
I caught this comment from the middle of an atheist vs Christian debate on Andrew Sullivan’s blog and though it kind of applies:
“Your atheist readers make the classic move of pretending to be the referee when in fact they are just another player on the field. They are treating it as an intellectual puzzle rather than what it actually is for every last of us: a lived commitment. This is why the term “Atheist” itself is so misleading. You’re an atheist, fine. I’m an A-Vishnuist, and an A-Buddhist, and an A-Teapotist. Telling me what you don’t believe tells me very little, but it’s a really cool way to get into the conversation in such a way that everyone has to defend their positions except you — you get to attack.
This would be valid were this merely an intellectual exercise. There you can usefully indulge the distinctly modern prejudice that doubt is more reasonable than belief. But you can no more avoid making a positive choice about the source of meaning in your life and the universe than you can avoid living in some country. You can talk about which country is best to live in, but the atheist pretends you can live in no country at all.
You gotta live somewhere, and you gotta believe in something, because your beliefs are being expressed every day in how you live your life. Atheists should be forced to articulate their positive position (say, secular humanism) as price of admission to the conversation. So when your reader wants to “put the burden of proof on the one making a specific, positive claim,” I simply point out that living your life is a specific, positive claim, and thus everyone has to bear the burden of proof equally. ”
Anyways Ryan, don’t have doubts… Jesus calls us to have all the answers, all the time… remember?
I think J.P. Moreland said, “The solution to doubt is not knowledge. The solution to doubt is faith.” Alth0ugh he might actually have said the exact opposite, but I doubt it. Either way, I agree with the above statement. Does that mean we, as believers, stick our heads int he sand and refuse to listen to any arguments either pro or con and bleat into the gathering darkness of opposing witnesses, “I need no proofs. I have faith!”? Certainly not. If I were proven here, today, that Christianity was absolutely false, that there was never a person such as Jesus, that God cannot exist, and all this were incontestable, then I would have to abandon my faith. What good would it be to continue on in what has been proven false?
Regardless, if the question is, “How do I cease from doubting?” the answer must be, “Only through the power of the Spirit.” Christ calls the disciples, “You of little faith,” many times. What do they do? They say to Christ, “Lord, increase our faith.”
Do I doubt God? What about Him is doubtful? I know not how to answer your question until I should know more of what you ask.
Great post Ry…
I found the video of Penn to be quite compelling. And rather convicting at the same time. What a different perspective it was from a confessed atheist on the idea of evangelism…