Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”John 20:27
When we think about doubt, especially doubting in the area of our faith, many of us feel guilt and shame for our doubts. For example, we may feel shame that there are areas of our lives where we doubt God will move and work. However, when we turn to Scripture, we get a different message. God is not angry about doubts we may have. In fact, He can handle any doubts we bring to Him.
Jesus’ disciple Thomas in John 20, certainly learned that Jesus could handle his doubts. When fellow disciples of Jesus told Thomas that they had seen Jesus after His death, signifying that He had risen from the dead, Thomas doubted. He said, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side” (verse 25). He was just not sold on the truth that Jesus had risen from the grave. He had doubts. Many of us would have had our doubts too. Can you imagine Thomas’ shock when 8 days later, Jesus suddenly appeared in a locked room where His disciples were meeting? Jesus appeared to all of them and said, “Peace be with you” (verse 25). Then, Jesus did something extraordinary. He could have scolded him for his doubt, but instead, He invited him to place his fingers into the nail wounds in His hands and the wound in Jesus’ side, leaving Thomas with no doubt that it was indeed Him. Thomas’ response was only appropriate: “My Lord and my God!” (verse 28). Jesus clearly could handle Thomas’ doubt and was not fearful of it, confronting it gently and tenderly, yet also issuing the command, “Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” (verse 28).
Just like Jesus could handle Thomas’ doubt, He can handle our doubt, too. He is not concerned about it and confronts it gently and kindly. Yet, at the same time, He issues us a call to have faith. Will you bring Him your doubts today? Jesus is ready for you to bring them to Him.
Come to God with your doubts today. Think about some doubts you may currently have regarding your faith. Then, bring them to God through prayer. Trust that He can handle your doubts, and ask Him to help you and walk with you through your doubts. He can handle it all.
John 20:26-31 (NLT)
Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.
©2024 Sagebrush Church
