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Have any of you heard of the term “deconstruction”?

Essentially, deconstruction means to re-examine and question your beliefs. It is often the result of a combination of abuse or trauma within the church, or an incompatibility between someone’s experiences and what is taught in the church.

Take Jim for example. Jim was an active member of his youth group in high school. He attended every gathering and seemed wise, honest, and full of conviction. He was the perfect picture of a faithful Christian young man.

But, unknown to his friends or youth pastor, he had doubts. He never told anyone about his doubts perhaps because of the social stigma. Or maybe he was tired of hearing the overly simplistic answers to his questions.

‌Jim went to college and his doubts grew into something he couldn’t ignore. He began identifying as bisexual, something that was seen as shameful and incompatible with the Christian faith he grew up with.

There was no satisfying explanation within Christianity for his attraction to men. So, he left it all behind.

Or, consider Taylor, who also grew up in a conservative Christian home. She had been voicing doubts for a long time before she arrived at college. Her concern was with how Christianity and modern science seemed to be at odds with each other.

She wanted to know how Christianity explained the data that led so many people to accept evolutionary theory. She went to college and studied apologetics, which is the practice of defending Christianity.

She would find a satisfying answer to some issue and would be certain about her Christian faith for a while, but then a new issue would come up.

Eventually, Taylor lost the motivation to remain a Christian. Defending it was too much work. There were too many arguments against Christianity.

These stories represent a common experience for those who grow up in a church that does not allow for doubt or curiosity about incompatibilities between our experience as modern humans and the ancient religion of Christianity.¹

Our main text today is James 1:5-8 in which the author is addressing Christians who are facing difficulties as followers of Jesus. James encourages the recipients of this letter to ask God for wisdom. And when they ask for wisdom, they should not doubt that God will give it to them

It is common for Christians to feel ashamed when they have doubts about their faith. Unfortunately, this passage in James can and has been used to make believers who are experiencing doubt feel guilty. This can lead to a life of quiet struggle and loneliness. Or, a complete departure from faith.

As we prepare for the upcoming series that will be tied to the Alpha program, we will be encouraged to explore topics about Christianity that may be troublesome for you or others.

So, my goal today is to eliminate the shame and guilt that so often comes with doubt.

Doubt is a natural part of the Christian journey. As we will see, doubt can lead to deeper faith and understanding if embraced and explored with openness and curiosity.

Doubt can serve as a catalyst for growth. It can encourage us to engage with questions and discover a deeper relationship with God. In the midst of uncertainty, Christ stands as the rock of our faith, offering assurance and strength to believe in God’s promises.

Ultimately, a re-examining of faith can be healthy. But only when the goal is to know Jesus better.

Let’s read our passage from James chapter one, starting at verse 5.

‌1. James 1:5-8 Exposition

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

‌Key Ideas

The main idea of this passage is that, as imperfect people, we are lacking that which would make us perfect, and we are told to trust God to provide what we are lacking.

Wisdom is of primary importance. Wisdom refers to the knowledge of God’s plans and purposes and the ability to live accordingly. Wise people can identify the nature and purpose of their trials and understand how to overcome them. Wisdom is about seeking God for that which will generate a life in line with his character.

When we ask God for wisdom, James says God will give it to us without finding fault, which means that God gives wisdom regardless of a person’s previous record. It doesn’t matter how much you have messed up, God is eager to increase your wisdom so that you will make better decisions in the future.

And when we ask, James says not to doubt. This is the main idea we will look at for the rest of the message. This is not about the strength or amount of faith that gets God to listen to us. Rather, when we have a need, we turn our attention to God for provision.

James uses this idea of the waves of the sea to describe a life of instability and uncertainty. These are characteristics of someone who doubts. And then he describes someone who doubts as double-minded, which is someone who tries to live two contradictory lifestyles. This is all about the reason for and direction of your doubt.

I imagine someone who reads the Bible, prays to God, consults their pastor or spiritually mature friends for advice, but then searches online for second opinions when the wisdom offered previously are not producing the outcome they expected.

When I was 17, newly baptized and growing in my faith, I was involved in a youth group at church different than the one I was attending on Sundays because our church didn’t have a youth group.

One day, the youth pastor asked me to be on the teaching team. I was thrilled. Someone saw something in me and had confidence in what God was doing in my life.

I talked to the pastor at the church I was attending and said I was thinking of attending that other church. In my immaturity, the reason I wanted to change churches was because I felt more needed at the other church.

I remember the words so clearly. I said to him, “I’ve been talking to a few people about this and I’m wondering what you think.” His response was interesting. He put a spotlight on where I was looking to for wisdom. He asked, “Are you looking for someone to give you the answer you want to hear, or are you interested in getting wise advice?”

He was being a good pastor. He pointed out that I was searching for an echo chamber, people who would tell me what I want to hear. I only wanted to satisfy my own desires rather than seeking God’s wisdom.

This is the concern of James. When you are unsure of what to do next, do you turn toward God or do you seek out an echo chamber in which people tell you only what you want to hear?

Let’s look now at three stories of people who had doubts, but because their doubts turned them toward faith in God, they became mature in their faith.

The three stories will highlight three aspects of doubt. The reason for doubt, the direction of doubt, and the transformation of doubt.

‌2. The Reason for Doubt – John the Baptist

Matthew 11:2-6

‌In this story, we see John the Baptist seeking confirmation that Jesus is truly the Messiah. The fact that he asks, “Should we expect someone else?” indicates a level of doubt that is surprising.

John the Baptist was the one sent by God to prepare the way of the Messiah. John baptized Jesus and saw the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus. He heard the voice of God say, “This is my son, whom I love.”

Yet, John the Baptist questioned Jesus’ identity. This highlights how even the greatest prophets faced doubt. An important part of this story is something we don’t see in the text. It is the underlying desire that John has about Jesus being the Messiah.

He wants it to be true. He wants to see the plan of God continue. From prison, where John would spend the rest of his life until he was killed, he was hoping that it was really true that Jesus was the Messiah.

His doubt came from a place of hope in God’s promises. He was looking for affirmation that his hope was rightly placed.

The response of Jesus was to report to John the evidence which proves who Jesus is. The lesson here is that, in the midst of our doubt, we look at the evidence of God’s work. With curiosity, consider all that God has done and is doing. Consider his promises and how he has been faithful.

Doubt can be blinding. It can cause us to ignore the truth right in front of us. But a wise person will not allow the doubt to blind them. Questioning what we were once so confident about is part of the human experience. But, when we turn to God in faith, our doubt can lead us to a reaffirmation of what is true.

This leads us to Peter and the direction of our doubt.

‌3. The Direction of Doubt – Peter

Matthew 14:25-32

Peter’s experience of sinking while walking on water shows how momentary doubt can be met by Christ’s immediate support. Notice the contrast between the end of verse 29 and the beginning of verse 30. Peter came toward Jesus, but when he saw the wind he was afraid.

Peter’s doubt came as he was going toward Jesus. This is the important distinction between someone who has faith in God and someone who has faith in themselves or other people or things.

The direction Peter was heading when he encountered doubt was in the direction of Jesus. And because he was heading toward Jesus, he was rescued.

Someone who doubts because they are wandering aimlessly and unsure of who or what can be trusted will have a very different experience. It is a lonely experience and doubt can be crippling.

If you are seeking to live in the way of Jesus, you are in a safe place to experience doubt. There is no need to fear losing your faith if you keep looking to Jesus. And when you do turn your eyes from Jesus and experience fear and doubt, Jesus is near to you and will lift you up.

When Peter and Jesus got into the boat, those who were in the boat worshiped Jesus. They did not focus on Peter’s failure, but on the power of Jesus. Often, we can look at our failures and the failures of others who follow Jesus and wonder why God let that happen. This is not the case for these disciples.

Despite Peter’s doubt and fear, Jesus’s response was to reach out and save him. This suggests that even when we falter, Christ’s presence provides reassurance, turning our doubts into opportunities for faith.

This gives us all the more reason to turn to Jesus when we fail, rather than away from him. He is always ready to pick us up in our moments of doubt.

Our final story is that of Thomas, who’s name has become synonymous with doubt.

‌4. The Transformation of Doubt – Thomas

John 20:24-29

In this story, Thomas has heard from the other disciples that Jesus was alive after being crucified. But, Thomas doubted. He wanted to see Jesus for himself before he would believe it was true.

A week later, he got what he wanted. Jesus came to Thomas and said, “Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas’s response, “My Lord and my God,” is a model for us. This is transformation from doubt to faith.

It is interesting to note that, until Thomas said these words, no one had directly called Jesus God. This is a remarkable testament to the transformation Thomas experienced. He went from doubt that Jesus was alive, to faith that Jesus is God.

Thomas’s honest doubt and subsequent encounter with the risen Christ teaches us that faith often involves wrestling with uncertainties.

By acknowledging our doubts and seeking Christ, like Thomas, we can deepen our faith and conviction. This authenticity strengthens our relationship with God, proving that doubt, when faced, can lead to stronger belief.

‌5. Conclusion

Let’s return to James and how this prepares us to enter into this upcoming season of exploring the central beliefs of the Christian faith.

First, the underlying assumption is that we will be lacking the things required in order to endure the trials of this life. James begins with this assumption. We do not have everything we need in order to live a perfect life. And we discover what we are lacking when we encounter failure.

This means we do not need to be afraid of doubt or failure. Rather, our doubts are meant to awaken something within us. Make us curious. Prompt us to prayer and seeking God’s wisdom and truth.

This process of refinement produces maturity so that the doubts that arise become less and less devastating. Our failures do not cripple us, but cause us to reach out to the hand of Jesus.

So, what can we do to prepare for encountering doubts? There will be two main ways we interact with doubt as we go through this upcoming series.

First, there will be doubts that arise within you. Perhaps not everyone will experience this, but some of us will. We will hear something about the Bible or Jesus or the Church that is not the same as what we have always believed.

Don’t worry, there is nothing heretical or unbiblical in the teaching. But, keep in mind that there are many ways to understand and interpret truth. The truth doesn’t change, only our experience with the truth changes.

If you encounter feelings of doubt or uncertainty at any point, this is an opportunity to be curious. You can engage in conversation with people, you can ask me, you can search the Bible.

Avoid the temptation to be dismissive or judgmental. You may in the end stick with your initial convictions, but at least you’ve done so with a good amount of thought and consideration.

The second way you might encounter doubt is when someone else is expressing how they are wrestling with what is being taught. It is important not to see the doubt as weakness or a lack of faith. They are on a journey and their expression of doubt is a sign that they want to believe what is true.

When someone expresses doubt, avoid correcting them or giving quick and easy answers. Be their companion as they search for truth. It is possible you might uncover something together with them that will strengthen your faith and understanding of God

Our relationship with doubt is not to fear it or be ashamed by it, but to allow it to strengthen our faith.

References

1. These stories are adapted from Surprised by Doubt by Joshua Chatraw and Jack Carson. ↩︎