Following Jesus in a Season of Doubt

Doubt: Let’s Be Honest about It.

“Be merciful to those who doubt.”—Jude 22

In certain Christian circles, the worst admission a believer can make is, “I am battling some doubts.” Admit that, and some unmerciful types may try to argue or even shame you back to a place of belief. Perhaps such spiritual honesty hits a little too close to home?
The biblical response is different: “Be merciful to those who doubt” (Jude 22). Berating or belittling a student who’s having trouble grasping a lesson does no good. In fact, it does harm. He or she needs a listening ear, a sympathetic and compassionate heart. In the same way, a spiritual struggler needs encouragement, not criticism.
Also, the command to be merciful would seem to include being merciful to yourself when your own faith dips and drags. Are you experiencing doubt? You’re not alone. Someone once quipped that 90 percent of Christians have occasional doubts—and the other 10 percent are liars. That’s about right. It’s safe to say that doubt afflicts some Christians all the time, and all Christians some of the time.

Reflection Question

How difficult or easy is it to admit when you have doubts about God? Why? (Answer in the comments)

Prayer

Lord, strengthen my faith.
Help me show mercy to those around me
(and to myself) who are doubting you.
Amen.

For Further Reading

John 20:19–29
The story of Doubting Thomas.

This post is an excerpt from Rose’s NEW Following Jesus Daily Devotional.

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2 Thoughts on “Following Jesus in a Season of Doubt

  1. If God is love, then before creation whom did He love? For christian God, this is very easy to answer, because christian God is trinitarian. So father loved son, son in turn loved holy ghost and holy ghost in turn loved father. But God is not only love, He is merciful, just as well. If God is merciful, then before creation to whom was He merciful? Perhaps the reply will be that father was merciful to son, son in turn was merciful to holy ghost and holy ghost was in turn merciful to father. But the question is: why will father have to be merciful to son? Was there any possibility for son to commit any sin, and so, father would have a provision for mercy also for his only begotten son? Similarly it can be asked: why will holy ghost have to be merciful to father? In this case, was there any possibility for father to commit any sin?

  2. If God is love, then before creation whom did He love? For christian God, this is very easy to answer, because christian God is trinitarian. So father loved son, son in turn loved holy ghost and holy ghost in turn loved father. But God is not only love, He is merciful, just as well. If God is merciful, then before creation to whom was He merciful? Perhaps the reply will be that father was merciful to son, son in turn was merciful to holy ghost and holy ghost was in turn merciful to father. But the question is: why will father have to be merciful to son? Was there any possibility for son to commit any sin, and so, father would have a provision for mercy also for his only begotten son? Similarly it can be asked: why will holy ghost have to be merciful to father? In this case, was there any possibility for father to commit any sin?

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