How can we continue the conversation about Faith?

Faith and Doubt

Are you known as a person of faith?  If so, what does that mean and how does it affect the conversations you have?  Many people imagine that “faith” and “doubt” are antonyms.  I want to challenge you to re-consider that perception.  As a result, you may enjoy the deepening of conversation and thinking, and of your spiritual journey.

•Doubts of Others: Consider that doubting is part of the faith journey.  If someone has questions for God, they are at the very least considering the possibility that there is a God, and that God may indeed have helpful answers!  If someone expresses questions about God that you interpret as doubts, and you respond with defensiveness, fear or one-liner certainties, the opportunity to probe those thoughts and feelings will be missed.  Indeed, the opportunity for transformation will likely be missed.  Re-interpret such questions, and listen up!  How?  Affirm and validate the questioning process with more questions!  Probe: When did you first begin to think about this question?  How have others responded when you asked it?  What are some of the possible answers you are considering? How do you think answers to the question will affect the way you live? 

•Your Own Doubts: One of our Ask God! guests suggested that the purpose of faith is transformation, and that such transformation is an on-going process.  In each new situation that requires us to apply our faith, new questions will come.  These questions are not necessarily indicators that we no longer believe or that we are having a “faith crisis.”  Indeed, it is because of our faith that the questions occur to us.  In middle school, having faith after losing a job because of an unfair boss was not a challenge to your faith, but an unfair teacher may have been.  At different stages of your faith journey, you will have different questions about injustice because of your faith.  In relationships, the issues of faithfulness change substantially before and after marriage.  In each new circumstance and context, our faith can provoke growth, if we allow ourselves to keep asking questions.  Our faith provides further and deeper new ways to progress.  We are being transformed, if we use whatever faith we have to talk through our responses to relationship developments and life circumstances.  Doubts…a transformational faith-based, conversational tool!