A Lenten reflection on doubt, faith, and learning to trust God without certainty
We are taught, sometimes directly and sometimes subtly, that faith should be certain. That strong belief leaves no room for questions. I understand that a firm faith like these can be reassuring, the problem is that when doubt shows up it can quickly lead us to believe that we are failing.
But scripture tells a different story.
In Mark 9, a father comes to Jesus and says, “I believe; help my unbelief.” It is one of the most honest prayers in the entire Bible, and one of the most powerful moments because of how Jesus responds. He does not reject him for his unbelief, rather he meets him there, right in the middle of belief and doubt, trust and uncertainty.
We often assume that doubt is the opposite of faith, when, in reality, doubt is often the place where faith becomes more real.
Lent invites us to bring our whole selves to God, not just the confident parts, but the questioning ones too.
Because faith is not built on certainty. It is built on trust.
Reflection question:
Where might your doubt
