"Stop doubting. Just believe!"
Have you ever been told this before? Maybe you had a sincere question about the authenticity of God's Word, proof of Christ's existence or evidence concerning how the world was created by God. Sometimes well-meaning, sincere yet misled Christians will tell you that faith without questioning is the right way to go about things.
But is it really?
I admit that I have always been the inquisitive kind of Christian. I listen to the views of atheists and various theories, religions and beliefs to further find the truth. No, I'm not looking for a way out of God because I know the further I search for the truth, the more and more I will only find Jesus.
Having doubts isn't always synonymous with not believing. In fact, doubt—if dealt the right way and with proper guidance from mentors and God's Word—will further strengthen your faith.
Doubt Shows the True Foundation
Matthew 7:24-25 tells us, "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock."
Many times we focus on the foundation of the Word of God, but we forget how important an element the storm here is, too. It's the storm, the shaking, the questions that bring evidence to the fortitude of a foundation. Without the storm in life, we won't be able to tell whether our faith is truly founded on Christ or not.
Questions and doubts can lead us closer to Christ if we truly seek the truth. As God promises in Jeremiah 29:13, "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."
Doubt Without Unbelief
We can have doubts without being unbelieving. In fact, many people in the Bible who were marked by faith had questions of their own. Abraham asked God how He would become a great nation and God gave Him an answer through Isaac. Gideon asked for assurance through a sign and God miraculously worked through a fleece. Rahab asked for assurance of her safety and God worked through a scarlet cord.
In fact, doubting faith that seeks for evidence, signs and truth will always work better than blind belief that simply just "receives," not knowing whether we are receiving false teaching or verified truth.
There is nothing wrong with having doubts as long as it leads us to search for God instead of running away from God. We can doubt and still believe. We can question and still find answers.
