Have you ever wrestled with doubts? How did you process them?

Doubt is not disbelief. There is a massive difference between doubt and disbelief. Eliminating doubt from life is impossible. As followers of Jesus, we must be prepared to process our doubts and help others process theirs.

Even John the Baptist had doubts. Read Matthew 11:2–13 and Luke 7:22.

How should John the Baptist’s doubts help us think about our own?

What distinguishes doubt from disbelief?

John the Baptist had already identified Jesus as the Messiah, but guess what? He needed some reassurance. If John the Baptist can doubt, so can we. The Gospel writers carefully recorded that the afterlife belief in bodily Resurrection was not only among the religious or the uncommon folk of the day. Even Herod Antipas had heard about Jesus and later wondered if Jesus was the beheaded John the Baptist raised from the dead (Mark 6:16; Matthew 14:1–12; Luke 9:7–9).

But Jesus responded to John’s doubt by providing evidence of resurrection miracles associated with His Messiahship. Looking at John the Baptist, it’s important to note that doubt and disbelief aren’t the same thing.

Consider it this way:

DOUBT says, “I CAN’T believe. Help me.” DISBELIEF says, “I WON’T believe. I don’t want help.”

Doubt is the Enemy’s weapon to lead us to disbelief. Did you know the Devil only spoke three times in the entire Bible? Each time, his goal was to cause people to doubt. He tempted Adam and Eve, Job and finally, Jesus. When we experience adversity, isolation or suffering, the Devil will attempt to get us to doubt what we know is true. John proclaimed Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1: 29), but he still doubted. Even so, look where he took his doubts: straight to Jesus (Matthew 11:2–3).

When we doubt, we should not hide from Jesus – He already knows. Like John the Baptist, let’s take our doubts directly to Jesus. Notice also how John also involved his buddies when he doubted. Even though he was imprisoned, he still shared his doubts with friends. As growing Christians, we must be committed to consistently surrounding ourselves with the people of God through a local church. Let’s follow John the Baptist’s example of doubting in community. We’ll turn to Jesus’ response to John the Baptist’s doubts tomorrow.

Do you have a community of people with whom you can share your doubts without fear of being judged? What is the value of having these people in your life?

How does the Resurrection of Jesus calm or answer your doubts?