doubt and belief

“Do not doubt, but believe.”  These are the words Jesus spoke to Thomas, usually known as “Doubting Thomas.”  Doubt is a real struggle in the life of faith.  Along the journey, there are dark times, times when we’re not sure of the next mile, or even the next step.  I’ve been there.  I’ve been on sections of trails hiking and all of the sudden, you’re like, “What’s going on here?  Am I still on the trail?  Is this the right way?”  And you doubt.  When I keep going though, eventually, there is a colored blaze on a tree to remind me that I’m still on the path.  Or if worse comes to worse, I use the clues around me to help me find the way:  the slope of the hill, the location of a creek, pure instinct.    

            Life is kind of like that: we carry on and all of the sudden something  may invite us to doubt that we are still going the right way, that God is still there, that we can make it.  But thank the Lord, we get little reminders, little signs along the path, like those blazes on a hiking trail, or clues around us.  Thank the Lord that the confused, lost, doubting times don’t last forever! 

            At some level, these words that Jesus told Thomas remind us that there is a dimension of choice in this equation of life.  Doubt does assail us.  But what we do with it matters.  Do we wallow in it?  Do we embrace it and become permanent doubters, skeptics?  Do we follow the religion of cynicism?  (That’s what our culture wants us to do!)  Or do we take the next step in faith, choosing to trust and obey in the One who made us? 

            Doubt happens, but we do have a choice.  We don’t have to be paralyzed by doubt.  We can choose to move forward, to keep praying, to keep serving, to trust even when we can’t see the next blaze on the tree yet.  Keep walking the Jesus walk my friends, believe!