Why Doubt is Good for You (And How it can Deepen Your Faith)

Doubt

Doubt is one of the most excellent tools available to you.  It is what your brain does well when given a chance. It is called critical thinking.

To doubt is to be uncertain of a belief or opinion. It is to suspend judgment to seek more opinions deliberately.

Think how much better the world could be if all of us practiced critical thinking before we made any decision for our family, workplace or religious community.

You already do this without realizing it.  Many of us, when making a big purchase, will learn about the different options. You will read up on any information you can find.

If you are new parents, you will read some of the latest books on parenting.  You will probably go in with some healthy skepticism until you find the author that speaks to you. 

Often if we think an offer feels like it is too good to be true, we will do further research, such as being in touch with the Better Business Bureau.

Can you imagine the world without the gift of doubt? Who would you choose to follow unquestionably? Who would you trust so much that you would do as told without question?

Doubt is a gift from God

God gave us minds to use.  I believe God expects us to use our minds to help us make our way through our lives. It is the only way to find the truth amid lies and ignorance.

Spiritual Maturity

To journey towards spiritual maturity calls upon you to become open to your three energy centers, the body, heart and head. 

It is about listening to the wisdom of God through our sensations, emotions and quiet, open mind.

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Doubt will show you the Way

Whenever anything doesn’t feel right, we need to explore until we find the truth.  A healthy doubt will show you the way.

We all need a healthy dose of doubt in our lives to strengthen our democratic system.  The horrors of totalitarianism can happen anywhere when people forget that God created us all equal in the eyes of God.

You need a healthy sense of doubt when you read articles on social media and all the different media platforms.  There are too many people making up the truth, and it is only in doubting and asking questions that we can discern what is right.

If you are open and present, there will be times when you get a feeling inside you that says something isn’t right; it is essential to pay attention.

Our places of worship are where we get the most considerable pushback for doubt. 

Doubt and Faith

Doubt is often given a bad rap in our church communities. You are told from Sunday School never to doubt the word of God.  You will be looked down upon if you question any dogma of the church.

Any of the holy scriptures, no matter the religion, have been written down by fallible humans, and then you have to take into account the errors that come from the translation.

Yes, doubt is a gift from God.  That might sound strange to you if you grew up in a more conservative church, synagogue, mosque or temple.

Even if you didn’t worship regularly, you probably picked up the message that to doubt your faith is wrong, sinful and wicked.

You don’t need to worry about offending God.  If anyone can handle questions, it is God.  The God I believe in welcomes your questions and doubts.   It shows that you are engaging your faith.

Even some of the greatest saints in the Bible had times of doubt.  At the end of the Gospel according to Mark, Jesus, cries out on the Cross, “God, why have you forsaken me?”  Jesus doubted if his suffering had any meaning.  He was questioning God’s promise of love, compassion and purpose.

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Moving Ahead in Life

You are on your unique spiritual journey. No one else’s journey is exactly like yours.

Faithfulness, critical thinking, body and heart wisdom, will show us the way to the world God intends for us.

Yes, the traditions of the past can be helpful. But with any tradition, you need to see if the tradition is relevant for today.

You grow in faith when you are seeking the will of God by paying attention to your inner world. It is trying on the different traditions and seeing which beliefs are still helpful and what you need to release. 

In our confusing world of over information, you and I need to find ways to build a healthy community, a community that welcomes diversity, different points of view, respect and compassion.

When you feel that something is not right, it is your responsibility to speak up.  Sometimes this doubt and question will show itself in your body, heart or mind.

When someone asks you to follow them without question, you might want to discern within you if this is a person or project you want to join.

If you are in a place of worship and told to believe something that goes against your values, it is time for you to speak out or leave.

No one else in the world knows more about God than you.  If you meet someone who does think they have a unique line to God, you might not want to take them too seriously.

The more present you become the more you will be able to discern the difference between the manipulators and those with an open heart.

Building the Kingdom of God requires dedication and hard work.  But the rewards are many: peace, joy, hope, equality, justice and unconditional love.

I am Roland Legge, an Identity Coach here to help you to bring out the best in yourself and your community.   You can join my private newsletter list for Free Monthly Advice (Click Here) and get Your Free Enneagram Test (Click Here).