I was speaking to someone recently about where he stands with God. In the course of the conversation he related that he had had a real experience with Christ that touched him deeply. I could tell it was a real experience by the emotions that overcame him even as he told me about it. I couldn’t help but think about the seventeenth century mathematician turned religious philosopher, Blaise Pascal, who had such a profound experience with Christ that he wrote a poem about it and had it sewn into the lining of his cloak which he had with him at all times until he died. It sounded like my friend had had a similar experience. Then this friend told me something I thought was remarkable, and might express the place many people are in so I share it with you. He said, in relation to God and His son, Jesus Christ and what he has done for him on the cross, that he had no doubts anymore… “Tons of questions, but no doubts.”
Many questions; no doubts. I bet a lot of us could say that. And it occurs to me that there may be a number of people like this who think this might not be enough. That in order for them to truly believe, they have to have no doubts and no questions – all doubts and all questions resolved. Well all I have to say to those with questions is “Welcome to the club,” or better yet, “Welcome to the family.” Every believer can say this; indeed, every believer should be able to say they have lots of questions. If someone has no doubts and no questions, I would wonder if they truly believe, or I would want to know what it is that they believe.
The truth is complex. The truth is complicated. The truth is paradoxical. And lets forget the truth for a moment and think about God’s will for us, which for most of us is perplexing to say the least. What is God doing with my life? Why am I here at this place? Why did such and such happen to me or to my loved one? The questions go on and on, and they should, because faith doesn’t erase one’s questions. For most of us faith alleviates our doubt, but leave lots of questions.
Faith relieves doubt because it is the substance of what is hoped for (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is solid. The reason we know we have it is because we have it. Faith is self-evident. But to a man or woman of faith, questions remain, and that, in fact, is what makes it interesting. If you don’t have questions, I would wonder if you are taking your faith seriously.
We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair… (2 Corinthians 4:8)
John Fischer The Catch 
Thank you. It helps knowing I’m not the only one with questions.
I believe that doubt is the spot in the road that leads to one of two places: either fear or faith. What we do with our doubts indicates our relationship with Christ. When we have doubts, do we pray, which leads to faith; or do we worry, which leads to fear. I once told my mother not to worry. She responded, “I have to worry.” No, she doesn’t, but I appreciate that, to her, worry meant caring. When we care about someone, we have doubts, and that leads to either praying for them or worrying about them. I know my mom prays for me; but I know she worries about me as well. So she has both faith and fear, which could probably be said about all of us.
So I don’t buy into the idea that we have no doubts. Everyone doubts. And only a stone has no questions.
Hi, I’m Dave and I have doubts. (Hopefully, there’s a chorus of “Hi Dave” in response)
I believe! I believe! Help me in my unbelief!
Hi, Dave. 🙂
I have no doubts. I have doubts. I believe! Lord, help my unbelief! I think John’s friend’s point might have been made from a different perspective than you’re speaking from. I could be wrong, but I think it’s quite possible to have no doubts in one sense, but to have doubts in another sense. Have you any doubts that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, the life, that no one comes to the Father except through Him? Those are more serious, I think, than doubts about things like, “What is God going to do with me next year? How is He going to work it all out?” In other words, it occurs to me that what one man calls doubts, another man simply calls questions — even though they may be speaking of the same thing! Of course, I could be wrong. But if I’m right, you may be able to join me in saying, “I have no doubts. I have doubts.”
Or, it may be a matter of WHEN you ask me! There may be times that I doubt, while at other times, I don’t — even when using the word in exactly the same sense.
In any event, your AA reference really resonates with me. Many of those people have been sober for many, many years, yet still admit to being alcoholics. Perhaps it is the same with us. We haven’t actually doubted for many years, but we still know perfectly well that we need a support group — because lack of doubt may be very real, while at the same time doubt sits right outside the door, waiting to grab us if we don’t keep constantly at the Source of the water of life, Jesus Christ.
So, put that with what Waitsel and Carol said, and see where it takes you. Maybe it will help. Just writing this is helping me, I think.
(And by the way, I think today’s essay is excellent, John.)
I think there are times when we all have “doubts” – often when I’m going thru tuff times, can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, and begin to wonder if the tunnel is really a black hole from which I’ll never escape… I find myself asking, “Are You even THERE, God??”, but the fact that I go to HIM to ask that question serves to confirm to me that I MUST have a modicum of faith or I’d not be there ASKING. I’m like a little kid in the dark who KNOWS my Dad is nearby, but I just need to feel his hand for reassurance of that fact. I think we sometimes interpret needing reassurance as having doubts, and then fret about being faithless when that’s not the case.
Do I have questions? TONS of them; apparently Paul did too, or else he would not have said “Now I know in part, then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”
Dear Pastor John wanted to thank-you for the brillance of finishing today’s very good Catch w/ this great verse: “We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair… (2 Corinthians 4:8)” to which i’ll add an Amen!
PS Hi Dave… 🙂 and that’s great verse to quote from the my Catch buddy Carole…
Well said, once again, John. I wish everybody could read this and realize that questions are normal and expected. Thanks for doing what you do…..and doing it so well.
Please help me here. Dosen’t Doubts and or Questions have the requirement to be categorized? The level of doubt on any particular instance can be of little consequince or devistating peril. The Lord doesn’t want us to doubt Him. We know we shouldn’t doubt Him. When we question Him it can show we have doubt in Him or simply we have strong desires to learn. By all means we have to know we’re not going to stump Him. If we come to the conclusion as Job did, that he was undeserving of the suffering that had befalling him and asked why? Didn’t the Lord simply say “have you forgotten Who it is you are asking”
Perhaps the doubts are not about God Himself, but rather about how He works, why He does what He does, etc.? And certainly we have questions about faith?
And I will add my “Hi Dave” as well. I have a friend who has been attending AA for over 40 years, and she continues to go to meetings as much as she can (she is 88 years young!).