I Believe; Help My Unbelief
“I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
Christians often hurt each other unintentionally. One way the faithful wound another is by challenging another Christian for admitting doubt. Acknowledging doubt is Biblical. “Help my unbelief!” Even the Apostle Peter, who Jesus called “the rock,” doubted. “And immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him [Peter], and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Nevertheless, Peter’s doubt did not dissuade Jesus from using Peter to help found the Church.
The French philosopher and Scientist Rene Descartes pronounces, “Doubt is the origin of wisdom.” For Descartes, doubt is a gift that allows us to question all our beliefs. This questioning should not threaten us. Faith in our Triune God can stand up to critical thought and doubt. God’s truth can withstand our flimsy doubts. Thomas Oppong writes a meaningful article, “Rene Descartes: Doubt is The Origin of Wisdom,” which quotes physicist Richard Feynman, “I would rather have questions that can’t be answered than answers that can’t be questioned.” The Christian faith will withstand our questions and even the cynicism of others.
Oppong instructs his readers when he states, “Through doubt, we challenge our beliefs and reassess them in light of new information or alternative points of view.” Doubt calls us to think and respond to our faith in new ways. Because “Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life,” thinking through our doubt drives us to deeper levels of faith and divine trust. Walking in confidence means addressing doubt with the assurance that our faith will be renewed and even more mature.
Today, pray for wisdom. Do not avoid our questions, but for doubt to guide you to further understanding. Questioning is not a weakness but a path to spiritual strength. Doubt is scary because it challenges our preconceived notions, but facing our questions burns away the impurity of sloppy thinking and refines our understanding for a profound faith. Have the trust and dedication to do the spiritual review necessary to take your wisdom to a deeper level.