This question, “What do I do with doubt?” is one that is very significant, meaningful, honest, real, and important. We are surrounded by skepticism. We are skeptics of one another. We are skeptics of the car salesman, mail man, customer service rep, pastor, and even our dog…let’s call him Ralph. In other words, we trust no one. Therefore, we are conditioned to doubt everything.
But what if you are a Christian? Is it okay to doubt God? Is it okay to struggle with belief? I have been paying close attention to the struggles of both new and veteran believers alike. We all struggle with doubt. We all, at some point, sit back and say, What if this is all one big fluke? Am I singing to the air? Am I praying to the sky? Why doesn’t God show Himself more clearly to me? Sometimes I wake up in the morning and wonder what in the heck I am doing. I too, doubt.
I understand that many good books have been written on this issue, and that my little post is not going to provide anyone with an exhaustive account of the epistemological (a fancy word for the study of how we know things) struggles of the human experience. But I will give my two cents with the hopes that they may help a few in their common struggle.
I’m gonna start by stating that there are at least two types of doubt – good doubt and bad doubt.
Let’s begin with the bad. Bad doubt is the most common form in our day. It has its roots in the Enlightenment of the 18th century, and can be found streaming from the mind of Rene Descartes. If you Wikipedia him, you will find ample information, but for now it is only important for you to know his most famous saying – “I think, therefore I am.”
Now, many have expounded the saying, based on the broader context of his philosophy to “I doubt, therefore I think, therefore I am.” Okay, enough with the heady stuff. Simply put, this type of thinking begins with doubting everything and seeks to work toward belief. This method places a high emphasis [and trust] in the rational mind (hence, Descartes’ Rationalism) to obtain information and truth – to arrive at belief.
In short, and most importantly, the one who doubts badly is certain of the rightness of his reasoning process and doubts everything else – even God. This sort of belief says, “God…tell me why I should believe in you.” The bad doubter finds the primary reason for doubt in God. God didn’t make Himself known well enough; or, He did not speak audibly to us; or, He did not give a clear enough book; or whatever.
The bad doubter believes if God would have done this or that, he would then find a reason to belief in Him. But, God has not, therefore the bad doubter doubts God. Presuppositionally speaking, this method of doubt is nothing more than a mirage, that seemingly gives a person an excuse not to surrender and submit to God. This person, in his heart feels that he is innocent and God is the one who is at fault for not making Himself unable to be doubted. He says, “I cannot know God, therefore I am not responsible for not knowing.” This was Bertrand Russell’s main argument.
On the other hand, we have the good doubter. This is the category in which many sincere Christians find themselves. They believe in God – in Christ, but they simply struggle with doubt sometimes. This sort of doubt is very different from that above. To the one who doubts this way, Christ gives grace and kindness (Mark 9:24), whereas to the former, he gives rebuke and contempt (Mark 16:14).
The good doubter does not begin with doubt but with belief. He (or she) presupposes the goodness, justice, kindness, and love of God, and sees doubt not as a defect in God but in himself. In other words, God is not the one who is at fault. God communicates very clearly. He has done all things perfectly. Man is the problem. And man’s sin after the fall has been the chief source of doubt ever since. The good doubter doubts himself, because of his sin, and holds God in the highest place of honor. When he approaches Christ, he does not say (like the bad doubter), “Jesus, why didn’t you make yourself clearer?” The Pharisees did this. Rather the good doubter says something like, “Jesus, I am sorry I am doubting you. Something is wrong with me. Will you help my unbelief?”
Allow me to give you a few helpful insights as to why this sort of doubt is actually a good thing.
First, when you struggle with objections to the faith sincerely and honestly, only then will you be able to provide grounds for your beliefs to those who are skeptical. Everyone has doubts. This is a point of contact with an unbeliever. However, we must direct them to see the flaw in humanity, not in God.
Second, good doubting keeps us humble. It helps us to see others (who are doubting) not with contempt but with mercy and grace. When an unbeliever has some of the same doubts as a believer, this protects the believer from being arrogant and offensive. Good doubting helps us realize that being without doubt is a gracious thing.
Last, good doubting protects and strengthens faith. Keller continues (in The Reason for God), “A person’s faith can collapse almost overnight if she has failed over the years to listen patiently to her own doubts, which should only be discarded after long reflection.” If a person humbly searches for God, he/she will only find Him. He is faithful even when we are faithless. Christ helps those who come to Him in repentance saying, “Help me.” He who is most certain [namely, God] will graciously help those who struggle with doubt.
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