Wrestling with faith and doubt can be profoundly lonely and isolating. Some suffer in silence while others abandon belief altogether, assuming doubt is incompatible with faith. But can doubt actually strengthen faith? What are practical ways for Christians to move through doubt—about such topics as the silence of God and the problem of suffering—into deep faith that embraces the mystery of belief?
Bible Gateway interviewed Dominic Done (@DominicDone) about his book, When Faith Fails: Finding God in the Shadow of Doubt (Thomas Nelson, 2019).
What role does doubt have in a Christian’s journey of faith?
Dominic Done: I love the word ‘journey,’ because it captures the heart of what it means to know God. When Jesus invites us to follow him, it necessitates movement, motion, and change. This means there will be seasons on the journey where his presence is real and tangible, closer than our next breath. This also means there will be times when it feels he’s a thousand miles away. In times like these we doubt. It’s important to realize, however, that doubt is normal and natural. Doubt is part of the complicated, enigmatic, beautiful mess of relationship. Just as love for someone you know is deepened through uncertainty—because your uncertainty fuels the quest for knowledge—so too, our love for God has the potential to deepen through uncertainty. The role of doubt, then, is one of invitation into a robust, more authentic, more loving faith. Doubt urges us to chase after God. It may not seem like it at the time, but doubt isn’t an obstacle. It’s an opportunity. To grow. To learn. To be changed. To go further on the journey than you ever imagined.
Continue reading →
By Tiffini Kilgore
Loading ...