Faith Without Doubt

"Faith without doubt leads to moral arrogance, the eternal pratfall of the religiously convinced." —Joe Klein 

 

I've never been able to trust anyone who claims to know it all, especially in regards to faith. Webster defines faith as "firm belief in something for which there is no proof". As followers of Christ - or any other faith - we have chosen to believe in the unknown. I've never seen God, but I feel that He exists. I've trusted that He is there. I have no physical proof, other than the beautiful world that surrounds me. True, I feel "something", a presence, as though someone up there is guiding me along a certain path. I have the Bible, of course, but it takes a great deal of the aforementioned faith to put my trust into it - and I do trust a great deal of it, especially those red letters. 

However, with all of that being said, I still doubt. 

I used to think that doubt was entirely bad, but I've found over the years that this isn't so. I've only discovered that doubt has made my faith stronger, if that makes any sense. Doubt allows me some ambiguity in all of this. Doubt opens me up to a world of healthy questions (some of them with answers...I think) and allows me to relate to others around me who are in different stages of their journeys. Some of my friends are atheists or agnostics. With the exception of one or two, my relationships with my atheist and agnostic friends have been entirely healthy. I surround myself with conservatives, moderates and liberals, and I feel as though I get a fair balance of every perspective and worldview out here in the Bible Belt. These relationships are anything but toxic. They've helped me to grow. Through these people, I have been able to explore all facets of my faith. All of this is good.

But...

There are those (in every group) who believe that they have God in a pretty little box and that they alone have all of the answers. Any attempt to challenge them or to broaden their horizons is thwarted. This makes them arrogant. This hurts the cause of Christ. The very fact that they have no doubt is actually harming them. They don't realize it, but the rest of us do. When you think that you have it all figured out, there is no room to grow. There is no room for mystery, for discovery - and what a boring and senseless walk that must be. It is crippling in the worst way possible. I would even go as far to say that my interactions with atheists, agnostics, and left-leaning Christians have been far more beneficial than those that I share with the more evangelical types, if only because extreme conservatism leaves little room to breathe. That saddens me. 

Learn to embrace certain doubts. At least, this is what I'm learning. Doubt can lead you down some beautiful paths if you let it. God can use doubt to bring you closer to Him. After all, we're not meant to know everything. 

There is a comfort in that. There is beauty in silence and uncertainty, and in the end, whether you believe it or not, He will guide you. You will see what He wants you to see, all in his time.