Faith and doubt are not mutually exclusive!
We often struggle with what to believe and if we can believe and where that leaves us. Fortunately we are not the first with such struggles. Lent – that time before Easter, is a time to ponder what is important – what we believe – what we can really hold on to. We may find that as we look, things that once were dear to us can be let go, and we find other things much more at the centre of what is life giving. Doing this sorting out is not straight forward. We may hear voices – maybe even our own – ringing in our heads reminding us of what someone else thinks is central – or what was important to us in the past. But as we work at following God now, today, here, what is it that will bring us life and hope and the ability to keep walking?
Feb 28 – Mar 20: Baring our Souls – Confessions of a doubting Christian
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One response to “Feb 28 – Mar 20: Baring our Souls – Confessions of a doubting Christian”
I have found these past several sermons inspiring. This Sunday’s use of “doubt” troubles me somewhat. It may be mere semantics. Over this past year, Marge and I have talked about how “doubt” is used in our Christian context. I believe that “doubt” has an overly negative connotation, even though it certainly is used and exemplified in the Bible.
For me, “doubt” usually implies, “I don’t believe it unless you can prove it to me” Other times, it is experienced following deep confusion in our lives, and at that point we just “can not believe it(or God would allow it)”
More often searching “non-believers” and most Christians have times of “uncertainty” and “questioning”, even though we Christians usually prefer having “tentative convictions” and/or “humble assurance”. These terms do not have such a negative or even arrogant connotation.
The academic encouragement to doubt also leads more easily to cynicism, which in turn, easily slips into arrogant agnosticism.
I would love to discuss further these various stages of a “faith journey”
Blessings,
Ivan