“The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:24 NLT
The Scripture above is one of my favorite prayers. I suppose I should be embarrassed to admit that. A person of faith never doubts, right? Wrong! People of faith often doubt, but many of us have been taught to ignore doubts. However, when we ignore our doubts and say we believe something because we think we should, we cross into forbidden territory. The name of that territory is Lie. It is a lie to declare I believe something I actually doubt. So, what is the balance? Can faith and doubt co-exist? What if the answer is yes?
What does it look like when faith and doubt co-exist?
Faith speaks truth. Speaking truth has two sides when it comes to faith. I can speak the truth of God’s Word. I can declare that what God says is true without a doubt.
But truth must also admit doubt. The doubt may be about how the truth is to be expressed. Perhaps the doubt lies in interpretation and application. What if you doubt the Scriptures are the Word of God? All those years. So many human authors. How could it be trustworthy? If that is where you stand, then faith must speak it to God. Perhaps your honesty is “I believe God is real, but I am not sure He communicates with people. I am not sure that the Scriptures are the Word of God.” Then your faith prayer could become, “Lord, help me to believe that You speak and show me I can trust the Scriptures.”
Faith must speak truth. God can handle it.
Faith trusts enough to acknowledge doubt.
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