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The capacity for doubt is not necessarily a bad thing.  Much of the progress that has been made in the world must be partially attributed to doubt.  Columbus doubted the maps and charts of his day; as a result, the new world was discovered.  The Wright brothers doubted the accepted axiom that ‘heavier than air machinery cannot fly’.  And air travel became a reality.  The ability to question, to wonder, to doubt is one of our noblest capacities.  In a world like ours, there are many things that need to be doubted.  A person would have to be intellectually sterile to simply accept the status quo and   never wonder about anything.  So to experience doubts is, or at least can be, a healthy experience.

But what about spiritual doubts?  What if the things we wonder about lies in the realm of our relationship to Christ and the Church?  Then what?

Don’t sweep your doubts under some kind of intellectual rug.  Openly acknowledge them, at least to yourself.  Have you ever had the experience of sitting in a classroom in a state of utter confusion?  The instructor has just explained something, but you missed it; or the explanation missed you.  You did not understand.  You were confused.  But you were hesitant to ask a question, for fear you were the only one in the room who did not understand.  Then someone found the courage to speak up, and others followed.  And   it became apparent that there were many in the room who had the same doubts as you.

Do not be embarrassed by your doubts.  Jesus never suggested that in order to follow Him we must  leave our intellectual integrity behind.  Instead He promised, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make your free.”

You do not need to be defensive and protective of the Christian Faith.  It has stood the test for almost 2000 years of history.  I seriously doubt that it will collapse in our day just because someone has the courage to ask a few honest questions.  Face your doubts.  Give it a serious and honest look.  Think about it.  Study it.

As a Christian, we should not pretend to have all the answers.  Because we believe in God, we are presented with some questions that we cannot answer.  If God is both all good and all powerful, then why is there suffering and injustice in His world?  Why are babies born blind?  Why do hurricanes destroy entire villages and cause untold suffering?  Because we believe in God, we are left with some question we cannot   answer.

You and I cannot see Christ with our physical eyes.  We cannot touch him with our hands.  But we can have real experiences with God none the less.  We can know that He answered a prayer.  We can know that He lifted a burden.  We can know that He sustained us in trouble.  And those experiences, coupled with  Scriptural truth, go into the making of an unshakeable faith.

This kind of faith never just happens.  You don’t dream it up in your sleep.  It can’t be handed to you by someone else.  Your build it by study, by thought, by hard work and by personal experience with God.  Then it is solid.  Then it is yours, and no accumulation of doubts can destroy it.

Have a Happy and Blessed Easter!!