Doubts.

We all have them, we don’t like them, and are embarrassed to admit them.

Doubt has been defined as “distrust; to be uncertain”; the definition quite similar in both a world and Bible dictionaries.

I wrote these words to a friend the other day: “God welcomes our cries, our questions, and our doubts. So weird, but this has brought me such comfort the last few days.”

My own words caused me to search out other doubting souls from Scripture:

• Thomas. “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side” (John 20:25, NLT). Eight days later, as opportunity presented itself, Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!”
• Sarah and Abraham. Both doubted God’s promise of a son due to the very logical reasoning of being way too old. “Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?” (Genesis 17:17, NLT). A year later, Sarah would give birth to a son.
• Gideon. This young man had a different sort of doubt. “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” (Judges 6:15, NLT). He doubted God could use him as he compared himself to others.

With each of these persons, God entered into dialogue as He continued to state His will to them. In fact, God drew nearer to them. He never turned away from them; and this brings me comfort and courage to approach God as well.

^ “Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].” (Hebrews 4:16, AMPC)

In bringing our doubts and our questions before Him,
we find God, the One who knows all the answers.