No Doubt

When we say something like "No doubt we'll get the job done on time or no doubt he'll come through for us," there actually is some doubt.  It is part of the human condition to go through some doubt as we come to a solid foundation of faith.

It is simply too easy to fall into the "What if?" pit.  The great lawgiver and leader of Israel, Moses, illustrates this well when God told him to go to Pharaoh to "Let my people go," to which Moses replies, "What if they do not  believe me or listen to what I say?" (Ex 4:1).

Today, we wonder: "What if she says no?"  "What if it rains before we finish the job?"  "What if I can't handle this promotion?"  "What if I can't handle the college work?"  "What if I can't live up to the expectations of being a deacon?"

Sometimes the doubt comes from the simple enormity of the idea.  The apostle Thomas, who witnessed Jesus walk on water, heal the sick and raise the dead, still declared, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe" (Jn 20:25).

Regardless of the reason or the form of the doubt, you need not doubt that it will come.  To actually have "no doubt" would require perfect faith in the person, the power and the process of whatever you are called or challenged to believe.  The barrier to that happening is the fact that we live in an imperfect world, operating with an imperfect faith.

Regardless of what the weatherman promises, we cannot be 100% certain that it will not rain tomorrow.  Why is it that we are so prone to make back up plans?  How many of you would go ahead and spend that check that is said to be in the mail?  And, let me ask you, why is it that any Christian would fear death.  Or, for that matter, fear any outcome when God promises to "work all things to the good of those who love him" (Rom 8:28) and when Jesus promises "I will never leave you as orphans" (Jn 14:18)?

The very reason we are called out of doubt, that we are commanded not to doubt in Scripture is because we do doubt.  But it is not the doubting that is our problem.  No one alive has no doubts.  The problem is continuing in doubt.  Jesus didn't tell Thomas that he should never have doubted.  Instead, he said, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe" (Jn 20:26).  The challenge is not to never have any doubt but not to linger in them, not to allow them to paralyze us or keep us from a faith response.

Reaching the point of perpetually having no doubt is not a reasonable goal considering the human condition produced by a fallen world.  But, overcoming those doubts and coming to faith is more than doable, it is our calling.  It is just there, in the wake of our doubts that the beachhead of faith is to be established.  Jus' Say'n.