“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying around the death of Jesus in our body, in order that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are continually being handed over to death because of Jesus, in order that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-11)

“Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

If the truth were ever told about the effect that doubt could have in your life, the above verses hit the nail on the head.

I’ll tell you something else that’s true about doubt. It is expected in the life of every believer. So don’t be discouraged when doubt comes your way. It’s never a permanent condition, and the irony of doubt is that it always brings with it an opportunity to grow closer to God.

I don’t like the feelings I get in my gut from doubt either. I was embarrassed, for example, to admit in a column I wrote several years ago that a friend’s brush with death actually got me to wondering if there really was a heaven. Fortunately, it forced me to re-think my beliefs, and reminded me that only God could console me from the emptiness and shame that came with that experience.

No, doubt will never give you the confidence you need to ride out the storm of confusion that it inevitably brings, but God will reward you for enduring that storm.

Those doubts I had about heaven years ago continue to strengthen my faith today because I searched my heart and answered some tough questions about what I believed.

It has been said that to believe with certainty, we must begin with doubting. That’s a spiritual truth that was played out in the Bible through an encounter that Jesus had with one of his own disciples, Thomas.

Thomas was not present when Jesus first appeared to the disciples after the resurrection, so he didn’t believe his friends when they told him they had just seen Jesus. “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it,” he told them. (John 20:25)

A week later, Jesus came to his disciples again, and this time, he went straight to Thomas. “Put your finger here,” he told Thomas, “see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” (John 20:27)

Did you hear what Jesus said? “Stop doubting and believe”, but not before he told Thomas that it was okay to touch and see. To believe with certainty, we must begin with doubting.

Bill Gaither was once so plagued by the confusion that doubt brought his way, he wrote a song about it, but not until it forced him to answer some tough questions, too. Read the lyrics and think about his advice.

I believe. Help thou my unbelief.
I take the finite risk of trusting like a child.
I believe. Help thou my unbelief.
I walk into the unknown, trusting all the while.
I long so much to feel the warmth that others seem to know.
But should I never feel a thing, I claim Him even so.
I believe. Help thou my unbelief.
I walk into the unknown trusting as a child.

There are so many infinately deep and difficult questions about God that we will be confronted with during our lives that there invariably be moments of doubt. “How can this all be?” might race across the screen of our mind at times.

But here is the truth. Don’t leave the theater with that on the screen. Deal with the doubt by going to the Word, not setting it aside. Deal with the doubt by talking to those who you trust. Deal with the doubt by fervently praying about it. Deal with the doubt by revisiting your past confidence. Deal with your doubt by actively dealing with your doubt. Don’t let doubt become the reality of your spiritual life.

Doubt is focusing on what is around us rather than on Who is in us. Focus on Him. I believe. Help thou my unbelief.