Faith and Dbubt

The other day I was driving to Grafton to do a presentation for a church.  As I drove, I was listening to podcasts.  One of them was Ted Talk Radio.  Have you ever listened to a Ted Talk?  This particular podcast was called Believers and Doubters (I chose it because of its title) and it featured interviews with four people about their Ted Talks that related to the subject.

One of those interviewed was Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of Billy Graham.  She reflected on her father's faith and lifelong devotion to God.  The interviewer asked her if her father ever had doubts about his faith.  She responded that there were none that he had ever expressed to her.  I thought from what she said that followed that answer that she believed he had not had doubts.

I don't know Billy Graham, and I don't know about what he might share with his daughter.  I can't speculate about his faith or her memory.  What I do believe, though, is that some people see doubt as a weakness - kind of the opposite of faith.

I have a different opinion. I think doubt is a part of faith.  It is through our doubts that grace works, and we are able to grow stronger in faith.  Doubt is not faith's opposite; doubt is faith's counterpart. Doubt is faith's companion, and we should be grateful for our doubts.  They are evidence of a reasoning mind, a questing mind.  Through our questions, our faith grows.

Don't be afraid of your doubts.  God is strong enough to help you grow through them.