Embrace your doubt? Are you sure?

I have listened to preachers who encourage you embrace your doubts about your faith. Frankly, the more I think about it, the more I disagree.  Perhaps you can help me understand; but first a few thoughts.

Webster's defines doubt as:
  1 archaic
    a: fear
    b: suspect
  2 to be in doubt about (he doubts everyones word)
  3 a: lack confidence in :Distrust (find myself doubting him even when I know he is honest)
     b: to consider unlikely

Now when it comes to my faith it is honest for me to admit there are things I don't understand. In fact, there are times when I suspect or lack confidence in certain things. So according to Webster, that would be doubt. I admit it.

Webster defines faith as:
  1 a: allegiance to duty or person
     b: (1) fidelity to one's promises (2) sincerity of intentions
  2 a (1) belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2) belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion
  3 something that is believed especially with strong conviction;  

Here is where I am confused: for me to embrace my doubt about my faith, would mean that I should intentionally:

1. lack trust or confidence in my allegiance to God,
2. consider unlikely my belief, trust and loyalty to God,
3. not have a strong conviction in my beliefs.

I don't think I could survive it that were my world view.  Not only that but I have a heart felt sorrow for people who do. I mean no disrespect to their point of view. I just do not understand how they could have any sense of hope.

James put it this way: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

To me this means that embracing your doubt would lead one be double minded and unstable. Please do not misunderstand my position though. I know that I doubt. I know that we all doubt.

Jesus being the son of God obviously had no doubt and perfect faith. For example: Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered. When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "how did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked. Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, through yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

I have met people who have seen amazing answers to prayer, but I have never met a person who can tell a tree to die and watch it do so immediately. Or said another way, I've never met any person with the faith of Jesus. We all doubt. But why embrace it? Why not double our efforts for more faith?

What do you think?

Grateful

I am grateful to be part of a community dedicated to tell the world the way of Jesus in new and creative ways. I am also grateful for all of you who join us in this mission! As I look back at the past year, I am very keenly aware that none of it would have happened without your help!

So what happened?

• More than 1 million people have viewed Ed’s Story because people like you have given to Flannel or supported our ministry through the Flannel Store.  
• Our films are pointing people to Jesus Christ in 178 countries worldwide, thanks to you. 
• BASIC Follow Jesus was shown to 85 prison inmates in Florida, sparking a discussion that lasted more than 90 minutes. 
• At a Washington prison, a felon serving 35 years for murder saw Fear God, and that led to his chaplain showing the entire series to more inmates! 
• Ed’s Story was shown worldwide on CNN and on NBC’sToday Show. We look forward to it being aired on Ion Television (beginning May 12, 2013) as well as on channels in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. 
• Ed's Story is also being shown to veterans suffering from PTSD at Walter Reed Medical Center. 
• A U.S. Bishop recently delivered two sets of our DVDs to the Vatican in Rome!

And just read how God is using our BASIC series to bless a local pastor and his church:

As a pastor, I have seen a change in the people in my church from going through the BASIC Series. I believe all churches should watch these lessons, and if they did, we could literally change the world as we did in the early days of the church!

The list of people being impacted by films you helped make possible by supporting Flannel Films just goes on and on. Each film is a remarkable investment in spreading the Gospel and helping believers grow in their faith. Our research shows that every single DVD is viewed, on average, by more than 30 people!

You know that film is an engaging, powerful medium allowing us to impact people with sight, sound, color and motion like nothing else. You also know that Flannel Films allow people to feel the emotional impact of how God changes lives with his grace, love and power. Nothing has as much impact today as a film. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and thank you in advance for praying about your continued support for Flannel Films this year.

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