Doubt It - You Are Not Alone In Your Questions

Intro

This weekend, for Chill Camp 2020, we are going to tackle doubt. Doubt is something that most (if not every) single person struggles with, whether or not they want to admit it or recognize it.

Why?

Play this clip of Zoe asking “why?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tThS05TdK3M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tThS05TdK3M

Have you ever been told not to ask so many questions? Sometimes when we ask a lot, it can be easy to feel annoying or guilty for asking them. I know I did, especially in school. When I was in school, especially high school, I would rather struggle and pretend that I knew everything rather than ask a question to help me understand. This was not a good thing, and I would highly recommend that you don’t follow in my footsteps in that way. But it can be hard to ask questions or say that you are struggling with something, especially when it comes to your faith.

For those of you that don’t know, i didn’t really grow up going to church. In fact, my family didn’t start going to church until I was in Middle School. remember being in middle school at a youth night in church. We were having our Bible Study/Devotion time for the evening and our youth leader, her name was Mrs. A., was leading the study. I can’t remember exactly what we were talking about but I know that one of my friends at the time was named Jacob (yes this is the same Jacob that was with me during the box down the hill story. If you don’t know it, come talk to me later).

Anyways, Jacob was one of those people that…well..he talked a lot. And not only did he talk, but he asked questions constantly. Almost too similar to Zoe in that video always asking why. Jacob would constantly ask questions during Bible Study and devotion and it got to the point that we had to learn how to just ignore his questions and so did our leader. Eventually he was able to take the hint and stop asking questions.

At the time we were all super annoyed that Jacob would constantly ask questions and honestly it made us question his faith. But what we didn’t understand at the time is that Jacob’s questions weren’t about him drifting away from God or anything but it was in fact helping to deepen his faith.

See, Faith isn’t about uncritically listening, following, and blindly accepting what someone else tells you to believe. Faith is continuing to search for God in the midst of our doubts, struggles, and questions.

Just like Zoe and Jacob, asking questions like “Why?” is a healthy sign of curiosity. It’s a sign that we want to l earn, grow, and discover more about God. And that is a good thing. It is a very good thing.

Poll

Speaking of asking questions, I have a few for you. There are no right or wrong answers to this. Everyone that has it with them, take out your phone please. Or move to each side of the room. For each of these scenarios, please answer “Never,” “sometimes,” or “always.”

Use a service like Polleverywhere.com to do results.

You pray about a big test coming up. Is it okay to doubt that God will help you study well and get you through it?

You have a big test coming up. You haven’t studies, but you ask god to give you the right answers anyway. Is it okay to doubt God will make you smarter overnight?

You’ve had a crush on someone for over a year. You pray they’ll fall in love with you in time for the school dance. Is it okay to doubt God will come through as your wingman?

Your family is experiencing a crisis. You pray for God’s help. Is it okay to doubt that God will fix the problem and your family?

you find yourself in a dangerous situation. You ask God to get you out of it. Is it okay to doubt that God will rescue you?

You messed up and there are massive consequences coming your way. You pray for God’s forgiveness and that people won’t get too hurt by what you did. Is it okay to doubt that God will forgive you or make everything okay?

You see or hear about something tragic happening in the world. You ask God to fix the problem. Is it okay to doubt that God will intervene?

On a scale of 1 to 10, how often do you have doubts or questions about God?

Are you able to share your doubts and questions with anyone in your life? Yes or no?

Some of these may seem outlandish to some of you. But to others, these situations may be ones that you encounter regularly.

You’re Not The First To Question

If you’ve ever had a question or doubt about God, I can promise that you are not the first. Today we’re going to look at two examples of people doubting or questioning God and see what we can learn from them.

The Book of Psalms is an ancient book of wisdom and songs to God. That’s why you see so many references to harps, lyres, lutes, and other musical cues and actions. These songs were often opportunities for people to praise God. But not all of the Psalms were joyful. In fact, many Psalms were expressions and cries of desperation, heartache, and mourning. Several of them sound pretty hopeless and despairing.

Read

The author is pretty clear in making their feelings heard here. There is a raw honesty in the psalm. The Psalmist is wondering if God is going to show up, or if God has abandoned them. It doesn’t have a happy or hopeful ending - instead it ends by saying that the Psalmist is alone and that everything feels dark.

Can you imagine how hard this might have been to write? I would imagine hard. It might sound weird but does anyone find it somewhat comforting to read? I think that it’s encouraging to know God doesn’t expect us to always be happy, joyful, and carefree. God allows us and even wants us to express our pain and emotions honestly, openly, and publicly.

Sometimes life is painful, unfair, and even overwhelming, so it makes sense that we might sometimes wonder (or even doubt) whether or not God will ever come through for us. The Psalm reveals that it’s okay to be raw and honest with God. Trust me, God can handle our anger, disappointment, frustration, and especially our doubt.

Read

If the phrase “Why have you forsaken me?” sounds familiar, it might be because it was quoted in by Jesus. When Jesus was dying on the cross, suffering for our sake, He cried out using these same words. Even Jesus, in His moments of suffering, used the Psalms to express His pain as well as His hope. Even though this psalmist begins by asking why God abandoned him, it turns hopeful towards the end.

Doubt Takes Many Forms

In these two psalms alone, we can see that doubts and questions can take many forms.

In , the psalmist seems to blame God for their painful situation. Their cries to God are dark and hopeless.

In , while the psalmist is still feeling abandoned, there is hope. Despite their pain, they still trust in God’s faithfulness.

I’m not sure about you but I find it reassuring that our journeys with God (even our questions and doubts) don’t all have to follow a specific formula.

Sometimes we doubt or question God because we are in pain.

Sometimes it’s because we just need to vent or think or work things through.

Sometimes it’s because we’re asking hard questions and really trying to find answers and grow closer to Him.