Many churches regard the Sunday after Easter as Saint Thomas Sunday, so it is not a bad time to reflect on our reaction to the central event of our faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
So what about doubt for a Christian today? In one of Rob Bell’s recent podcasts, he suggested that if a Christian doesn’t acknowledge and confront their most significant doubts they will be susceptible to losing faith either at times of illness or if a sceptic challenges their beliefs with searching and difficult questions. On the other hand, unresolved doubting can lead to paralysing inactivity. I read a helpful book on Doubt (by Os Guinness) a long time ago and he quoted a nineteenth century poem:
“The centipede was happy quite,
Until the toad-in-fun
Said ‘Pray, which leg goes after which?’
Which worked her mind to such a pitch
She lay distracted in a ditch,
Considering how to run”
We’ve just looked at that great eleventh chapter of Hebrews, which began with the statement “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” – a statement which seems to reflect Jesus’ comment to Thomas quoted above. That chapter gives a list of biblical characters whose faith was manifest in action.
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