What is the Christian Faith?
5: Doubts
We can’t expect to know and understand everything. Honest doubts are a way we grow and learn to trust.
Our human weakness is such that even in the most committed relationships we sometimes need reassurance. Christian faith is no different and at times everyone of us will have doubt and difficulty with belief. That is why we use the word ‘faith,’ because it is not about proof, we are involved in a relationship with God and there has to be trust. It has been said that there can be ‘an inverse relationship between vehement pronunciation and inner certainty.’ People are often most zealous about things which they are not quite or cannot be quite sure about. Doubt can be an indication of real honesty and can help our faith to grow as we question and learn.
We probably all have stories of how people have been ‘put off,’ by others who in spite of honest motives, bully them about what they should believe. We all appreciate being given time to think and reflect in our time and at our own pace. Many people have been terribly upset at the behaviour of those who have been irresponsible in the way that they shared their own beliefs. Sharing our ideas and thoughts about God should never be 'forcing our religion down other people's throats'.
Listen to 1 Peter 3:15
"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who
asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
But do this with gentleness and respect ...".
Here the Bible tells us that we should never proceed with sharing our faith unless the other person has given us permission to do so. If you are unsure about the Christian faith it will help to speak with somebody who is a Christian and ask them about what they believe. Faith is caught and not taught. People are not argued into belief but sometimes spend a great deal of time being drawn towards faith. As we look back we realise a process which takes place over years and involves usually people and not ideas. This means that most people come to faith over a long period, they slowly become Christians, and I think that for many people it can be years rather than months.