Times of tragedy and suffering can cause people to reflect and doubt God’s existence and/or his goodness. Many godly saints have walked this road of doubt. If you have struggled with doubt, then you are in good company with C. S. Lewis, Mother Teresa and probably many in your church. Doubt can be debilitating if there is a lack of searching out the truth. But doubt can also produce deep growth in the believer. When encountering doubt, first understand that it can be an opportunity to know what you believe and why. Secondly, doubt can be the beginning of a journey that examines emotions and truth resulting in the assurance of the faithfulness of God. Lastly, a person who walks a journey of doubt can be used by God to encourage others who are confronted with doubt.

Consider the doubt of John the Baptist. In the beginning of the book of Luke, one reads that John is preparing the way for Christ. In the book of John, John the Baptist recognizes Jesus as the Messiah and John claims his deep devotion and requirement that “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Also notice in the book of Luke, Jesus is on the scene and John the Baptist describes Jesus as “One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16). Not long after Jesus arrives to be baptized by John. Luke states, “Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him…” (Luke 3:21). Now it would seem that John is not only honored, but now confident that he has met the Messiah and his faith must be abounding and it was. However, later John is thrown in prison for rebuking Herod the tetrarch for his illegitimate marriage to Herodias (Mark 6:17-18). While imprisoned John wrestled with doubts. But what did he do when the crisis of doubt arose? He immediately called his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the one to come. Jesus answers John by stating, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them” (Luke 7:22).

When Jesus responded to John he did not send his disciples back with condemnation for doubting or call him names. Instead, Jesus points John to the evidence that will reassure John that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus is gracious and patient with the doubts of John, just as he is patient with our doubts.

Doubt can arise from many questions especially when it is someone being faithful who encounters deep suffering. Questions surface such as, “why would God allow his people to suffer?” These questions can push a person to the point of even wondering if his or her beliefs are not reality. When people follow and do what God commands, sometimes we are tempted to think that means all should go well for the believer. But that is not true, Jesus stated in John 16:33, “There will be many trials in this world, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” Too, we can be deceived by our own thinking and emotions that God should be responding as we see the resolution. We should not let our emotions dictate our beliefs but let the Word of God lead us in truth. For now, we have incomplete knowledge but He has full knowledge, therefore the times we don’t necessarily understand, we can know that in the end God will make all things right. In Revelation 21:4 it states, “and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” When you find yourself in the midst of tragedy or suffering, and doubts begin to arise, follow the practice of John. Seek out faithful Christian friends to walk the road. Ask the hard questions, look at the evidence, hear and receive his words of truth and be assured that God does exist and he is working good for all those who love him. For now, we see in part, but one day we will see fully.

Here are three takeaways
1. Doubts can be opportunities to grow in your faith.
2. Doubts can produce a proper examination of the faith. You can follow John’s path of asking good questions and considering the evidence.
3. Doubts can result in assurance in God and can be an encouragement to others struggling with it.