I have been thinking a lot about doubt. Doubt cycles from hope to despair and back again. Recently, our pastor said, “doubt is not the opposite of faith.” That has stirred in me since. I had always put doubt as the opposite of faith. Now, as I sit with it, I see it as part of a cycle that oscillates. It continually moves back and forth amidst our faith.
If I am honest with myself, when I am most hopeful and solid in my faith, there is this teeny tiny seed of doubt living within me. Doubt becomes a small vibration that I only notice if I’m paying attention. I am simply in a place where it is easy to lean on God’s constant presence for support and comfort.
Then the doubt cycles toward discontent. It doesn’t mean I don’t have faith or don’t have enough faith. Life challenges us. We face rocky, treacherous times that challenge our resolve. We start to drift toward despair. Even at our lowest there is still the evidence of faith. We hold on. We trust when it feels incredibly hard. We continue to look for glimmers of hope.
23 Jesus said, “If? There are no ‘ifs’ among believers. Anything can happen.” 24 No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the father cried, “Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!” (Mark 9:23-24 MSG).
This scripture reminds us that having doubts doesn’t mean we don’t have faith, but that we can reach out to God in our weakness. When we are weak, God is strong. God is carefully guiding us through the rocky path as doubt cycles within us. Life is the constant movement of faith in and through us.
Doubt is now my companion. I can use it to gauge my current faith needs. I can use to reach out to others for spiritual support. Their prayers, comfort and guidance help me lean on God’s strength when I am weak.
How do you manage doubt when it cycles to the point of feeling weak? Share your story here and breathe life and bring hope to others.