Silas Henderson - Moving Beyond Doubt

Moving Beyond Doubt Silas Henderson Introduction For many of us, our times of doubt can feel like weakness. And doubt can take many formsdoubting God, doubting the love of our family and friends, and, the most dangerous of all, self-doubt. Although doubt is part of the way we try to make sense of life and its mysteries, we can become mired in it and lose sight of the wonderful things around us. In this way, doubt can become a heavy, dark cloud that obscures the light of the sun, casting shadows upon everything we do, believe, and feel. Its important to remember, however, that doubt is just one aspect of human experience, and it certainly isnt a state in which we have to remain. The poet Khalil Gibran reflected that doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother.

And it is true. Faith is the antidote for lifes doubtsthe wind that blows away the grey clouds, allowing the light to shine again on us and in us. And, just like we can doubt God, others, and ourselves, we can also nurture our faith in God, others, and ourselves. My hope is that this book will help you understand the feelings of doubt you have experienced or might be experiencing now. May it help you transition to a place of faith and hope, finding new ways to love yourself, to strengthen the bonds you have with family and friends, and to enrich your relationship with the God who made each of us a unique and wonderful part of creation. The Bible reminds us that we are to walk by faith, and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

However, for many people, even the strongest believer, this can be very difficult. When life presents us with different challenges, it is easy to begin to lose sight of the beauty that is around us, of how special we are, of how much we are loved, and how close God is to us. This is doubt. Who never doubted, never half believed. Where doubt is, there truth is it is her shadow. Ambrose BierceWhen Im faced with trials and challenges, what are the things and who are the people that I begin to doubt? Doubting is part of being human.

When we are faced with challenges in life, one of our first responses is to ask, Why is this happening? Asking questions like this is a way to help us make sense of the world around us. Its when we focus more on the questions than on the good things that still surround us, and the promise of the future, that we begin to lose our way in a fog of doubts. Life is filled with unanswered questions, but it is the courage to seek those answers that continues to give meaning to life. J.D. Stroube in Caged by Damnation What are the questions that I allow to dominate my life? Are my mind and heart open to new possibilities and promises for tomorrow? When sudden illness or an accident happens, even those with the strongest faith can wonder how a good and loving God can allow such things to happen. This is one of lifes great questions, and it can be easy to doubt Gods love and care during these difficult experiences.

Our feelings of doubt (and even despair) during these times are a natural response. Remember, though, that it is OK to ask these difficult questions. Doubt comes whether we want it or not. Philip YanceyWhat have been some events in your life that have led you to doubt or question? Where have you looked for answers? One of the things that might seem to confirm our doubts about Gods love during difficult situations is Gods silence. The doubts that you feel, however, can be an opportunity to ask other questions as well. Silence doesnt mean that God is absent or that you are no longer loved.

Wise people have often called silence the first language of Godthere was silence before God spoke creation into existence (cf. Genesis 1:2). And so, when we experience Gods silence, we might ask ourselves if God is in the silence, present for us and with useven when we arent necessarily getting the answers we want. We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. Blessed Mother TeresaRead the story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11:144).

Reflect on the silence of Jesus and his response to Martha and Mary. The world we live in isnt a perfectly running clock that God made with all the pieces moving in perfect order and following certain rules. We only need to look around to understand that this isnt how any part of the universe works. So, this means that God didnt make us to be cogs in a machine. God made us and loves us and wants us to be in relationship with him. Faith means searching for the divine plan in events that bless us as well as events that try our souls.

This is the seesaw of trust to sense Gods hand in both turmoil and tranquility. Carol Ann Morrow in Trust-in-God Therapy Make a list of the unique things in the world around you. Spend time in conversation with God about each item on your list, asking to see how God is at work in each of these distinctive parts of creation. Dont underestimate the power of prayer. When events in our lives lead us to doubt this close relationship with God, one of the ways we can confront these feelings is to ask what God might be asking of us in these times. Like all friends, God longs to hear whats been happening in your life. Like all friends, God longs to hear whats been happening in your life.

Good or bad, whether its been full of sorrow or anger, or even when youre questioning why terrible things have to happen. Nicholas SparksThink of someone whom you consider to be a person of strong faith. If possible, ask them how they prayespecially during lifes challenging times and seasons. Among the most important ways that Gods love and care are revealed to usregardless of our doubtsis in the words and actions of other people. Our family members and friends, along with our faith communities, are gifts that God has placed in our lives. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20Have there been moments in life when youve experienced Gods loving care in the world around you, or through the kindness of another person? If so, offer a prayer of thanks for that wonderful gift. Matthew 28:20 Have there been moments in life when youve experienced Gods loving care in the world around you, or through the kindness of another person? If so, offer a prayer of thanks for that wonderful gift.