Dealing with Doubt

This week, we tackled a question every believer faces at some point: “How do I deal with doubt?” Whether it’s a quiet question that keeps us up at night or an unexpected challenge to our beliefs, doubt is something we all encounter. But what if doubt isn’t a sign of weak faith—but an opportunity to grow deeper roots?

Doubt Is Normal—And Can Even Be Healthy

Jay opened with a powerful reminder: “Doubt is normal. We all have doubts, and it’s okay to have those doubts.” Even some of the greatest heroes of Scripture struggled with doubt. John the Baptist, who boldly proclaimed Jesus as the Lamb of God, later sent messengers from prison to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Matthew 11:3). Thomas, forever known as “Doubting Thomas,” refused to believe in the resurrection until he could see and touch the risen Jesus himself (John 20:25).

Yet Jesus didn’t rebuke John or Thomas for their questions. Instead, He invited John to consider the evidence—“Go and report to John what you hear and see” (Matt 11:4)—and welcomed Thomas to see and touch His wounds (John 20:27). Their doubts didn’t disqualify them. Instead, their honesty led to a deeper encounter with the truth.

“Faith is not the absence of doubt. Faith is trust despite the doubt.”

The Real Danger: Doubt Left in the Dark

Doubt itself isn’t the enemy. How we respond to it makes all the difference.

Jay reminded us of the serpent’s question in the Garden: “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1). Satan still uses doubt to sow confusion and distance us from God. But the answer isn’t to hide our doubts in the shadows. “I want us to grab our doubts kicking and screaming and drag them into the light,” Jay said. “The darkness is where Satan is. We can’t fight our doubts in the darkness, in the shadows. We’ve got to bring them out.”

This means voicing our questions, seeking wise counsel, and—most importantly—testing everything against God’s Word. As Acts 17:11 commends, the Bereans “received the word with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”

Two Reasons to Test Our Doubts

1. To protect ourselves from deception.‍ ‍

Jesus Himself warned us: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name... and will deceive many” (Matthew 24:4–5). In a world full of confusing voices, testing what we hear against Scripture keeps us grounded in the truth.

2. To be ready to share the reason for our hope.‍ ‍

1 Peter 3:15–16 calls us to “be ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Yet do this with gentleness and reverence.” We may not have all the answers, but we can point to the One who is our hope—Jesus.

“My very favorite thing to tell people is, I’m just a beggar who found bread, and I want to introduce other people to the source of that bread. That’s it. That’s the gospel in a nutshell.”

Cultivating Deep Roots

So how do we deal with doubt in a way that leads to growth instead of discouragement? Jay offered practical steps:

- Open your heart to seek answers and wise counsel.‍ ‍

Don’t isolate. Surround yourself with people who love God and can help you process your questions honestly.

- Use Scripture as your standard.‍ ‍

“Don’t believe anything I say. Don’t believe anything you see on YouTube. Go back to Scripture, search it. What does it say? It’s a love letter from your Father. Read it often. Write it on your heart.”

- Be ready to share your reason for hope.‍ ‍

You don’t need to have all the answers. Sometimes the best witness is simply sharing how Jesus has given you peace in the midst of uncertainty.

- Trust God even when it’s unclear.‍ ‍

“If we had all the answers, would we need faith?” Jay asked. Some things will remain a mystery until we see Jesus face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). In the meantime, we’re called to keep asking, seeking, and knocking—and to rest in God’s faithfulness.

Closing Encouragement

Doubt isn’t the end of faith—it can be the beginning of deeper trust. As Jay prayed, “Help us, Lord, to come to you with an honest heart, to say, ‘I believe, Lord, but help my unbelief’ (Mark 9:24). I want to know you a little bit better. I’m coming to you with humility, wanting to know more.”

If you’re struggling with questions, don’t go it alone. Reach out to someone you trust—maybe one of our red lanyard team—or bring your doubts to God in prayer. He’s not intimidated by your questions. He welcomes them.

“Faith is not the absence of doubt. Faith is trust despite the doubt.”

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