So I thought it might be fun to take notes on my blog as I listen to the audio CD's from Crossroads current series "Heavy Weights." Today's heavy weight is 'Doubt Vs. Faith.'
- A faith without some doubts is like a human body without any antibodies in it. People who go through life too busy or too indifferent to ask hard questions as to why they believe as they do, will find themselves defenseless.- Tim Keller.
- Relational Faith. God is not just a math equation to be figured out. God is a being who wants to have a relationship with you.
- "I believe, but help me with my unbelief."
Those were just a few things that struck me. As I look back on my own journey of faith and doubt, I can honestly say that every legitimate doubt to my faith, has been answered. If it was something that struck a chord and caused me worry about the validity of what of I believe, I have had a faithful answer from God. However, I have to be more specific and say it usually wasn't an answer I heard in prayer, it wasn't a note that was suddenly dropped on my doorstep. I hold true to a verse in Proverbs (I think) to show how God answers prayers of doubt.
"Indeed if you call out for insight and call aloud for understanding and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the lord and find the knowledge of God." Every time I've ever had a doubt, I have prayed for understanding and then God sends a book, or a person, and my questions are answered and my faith secured. I've had to research and I've spent hours questioning, searching, and finding the answers, but God always provides. I think the time we spend researching our doubts is a declaration of faith and love to him.
I'm glad my parents encouraged us (my siblings and I) to ask questions about God. I think they would both tell you that I might have been the most inquisitive. Really it was just one question over and over again. I was that annoying child that had to ask "why?" at every turn in the conversation. So from an early age, I've been naturally prone to ask questions. And though my faith has been shaken many times before, it has not been lost. Although things have not always gone my way, I can see those things I hated in the moment were lessons God used to make me grow. And that's pretty much all I got for the day :)
- A faith without some doubts is like a human body without any antibodies in it. People who go through life too busy or too indifferent to ask hard questions as to why they believe as they do, will find themselves defenseless.- Tim Keller.
- Relational Faith. God is not just a math equation to be figured out. God is a being who wants to have a relationship with you.
- "I believe, but help me with my unbelief."
Those were just a few things that struck me. As I look back on my own journey of faith and doubt, I can honestly say that every legitimate doubt to my faith, has been answered. If it was something that struck a chord and caused me worry about the validity of what of I believe, I have had a faithful answer from God. However, I have to be more specific and say it usually wasn't an answer I heard in prayer, it wasn't a note that was suddenly dropped on my doorstep. I hold true to a verse in Proverbs (I think) to show how God answers prayers of doubt.
"Indeed if you call out for insight and call aloud for understanding and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the lord and find the knowledge of God." Every time I've ever had a doubt, I have prayed for understanding and then God sends a book, or a person, and my questions are answered and my faith secured. I've had to research and I've spent hours questioning, searching, and finding the answers, but God always provides. I think the time we spend researching our doubts is a declaration of faith and love to him.
I'm glad my parents encouraged us (my siblings and I) to ask questions about God. I think they would both tell you that I might have been the most inquisitive. Really it was just one question over and over again. I was that annoying child that had to ask "why?" at every turn in the conversation. So from an early age, I've been naturally prone to ask questions. And though my faith has been shaken many times before, it has not been lost. Although things have not always gone my way, I can see those things I hated in the moment were lessons God used to make me grow. And that's pretty much all I got for the day :)
Heavy Weights has been my favorite series, thus far. Like you, my faith has been shaken but it's never been lost. Other than when I found out I had cancer, I've never felt so confused. I'm constantly asking God to help me to understand but I've not heard anything. I truly believe in time...HIS time...I will come to understand why our world has been turned upside down. ps..I have more cd's coming your way :)
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