Embracing Doubt: The Journey to Resilient Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Resilient faith requires both doubts and devotion

Resilient faith is not about having all the answers or being certain at every turn; it is about bringing both your doubts and your devotion honestly before God. When life’s storms come, it is not superficial certainty that sustains, but a faith that can bend, question, and still trust. Like the father in Mark 9, we are invited to come to Jesus with our whole selves—our belief and our unbelief—knowing that God honors honesty over perfection. This kind of faith is not fragile, but resilient, able to withstand the noise and chaos of life because it is rooted in relationship, not in argument or formula. [48:10]

Mark 9:23-24 (ESV)
And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel both faith and doubt? Can you bring both honestly to God in prayer today, asking Him to meet you in that tension?

Day 2: Encounter with Jesus is greater than arguments about Him

When pain or uncertainty breaks through the static of life, what we need most is not more arguments or perfect answers, but a genuine encounter with Jesus. The desperate father in Mark 9 did not need a debate; he needed Jesus’ presence and compassion. In our own lives, we often try to numb or fix our pain through our own efforts or by seeking certainty, but Jesus invites us to come as we are, with our questions and wounds, for a real encounter that brings hope and healing. [39:15]

Mark 9:17-18 (ESV)
And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.”

Reflection: Where in your life are you seeking answers or arguments instead of an encounter with Jesus? What would it look like to invite Him into that place today?

Day 3: Disclosed doubt invites divine power

There is a unique power in bringing our doubts out into the open before God. Like a child who thinks covering their eyes makes them invisible, we sometimes try to hide our uncertainty from God, but He already sees and knows us completely. When we stop pretending and honestly disclose our doubts, we open ourselves to God’s presence and power in new ways. The father’s confession, “I believe; help my unbelief,” was not a sign of weak faith, but of real, growing faith that God honors and responds to. [42:57]

Psalm 139:1-4 (ESV)
O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.

Reflection: What is one doubt or question you have been hiding from God or others? Can you name it honestly before God today and invite Him to meet you there?

Day 4: Superficial certainty cannot withstand life’s storms

Certainty can be an illusion, and when our faith is built on shallow answers or the need to be right, it becomes fragile and easily shaken by life’s challenges. True resilience comes from a faith that is willing to wrestle, to ask hard questions, and to grow deeper roots through adversity. Like a tree that bends in the wind and grows stronger, our faith is strengthened not by pretending, but by engaging honestly with God and allowing Him to deepen our trust through every season. [46:40]

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (ESV)
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.
He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

Reflection: In what area of your life have you settled for superficial certainty? What step can you take today to let your roots grow deeper in trust, even if it means facing hard questions?

Day 5: God welcomes us as we are, not as we pretend to be

God is not ashamed or embarrassed by our questions, doubts, or struggles. He invites us to come to Him openly and honestly, not pretending to have it all together, but trusting that He loves us and wants to meet us in our real, messy lives. Whether we are feeling strong or weak, certain or uncertain, God’s heart is for us to bring our whole selves—devotion and doubt included—so that we can encounter His grace and love afresh. [53:57]

Hebrews 4:15-16 (ESV)
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Reflection: What mask or pretense do you feel pressure to wear before God or others? How can you take one step today to approach God just as you are, trusting in His grace?

Sermon Summary

We all know what it’s like to make assumptions—sometimes silly, sometimes serious—and how those assumptions can shape our lives and our faith. One of the most dangerous assumptions we can make is that faith requires absolute certainty, that if we have any doubts, our faith is somehow invalid. But the truth is, certainty is an illusion. We are finite beings, trying to understand an infinite God in a world full of noise, chaos, and pain. The real challenge isn’t doubt itself, but misplaced fear—letting fear, rather than faith, dictate our responses to life’s uncertainties.

In the Gospel of Mark, we meet a desperate father whose son has suffered for years. He’s tried everything, endured stigma and shame, and finally comes to Jesus, not for an argument, but for an encounter. His plea is honest: “I believe; help my unbelief.” This is the kind of faith that Jesus honors—not perfect, but honest and surrendered. Jesus doesn’t demand flawless certainty; He meets us in our devotion and our doubt, inviting us to bring our whole selves to Him.

We live in a world that values quick answers and superficial certainty, but resilient faith is forged in the tension between devotion and doubt. Like a guitar that needs regular tuning, our hearts need to be retuned to God through regular, honest time with Him. When we bring our doubts into the open, we invite God’s power into our lives. Our faith grows not by pretending we have it all together, but by surrendering what we do and don’t know to the One who holds it all.

Jesus models a way of being that refuses to categorize or judge, but instead draws near to those on the margins, those carrying pain, shame, and unanswered questions. He invites us to do the same—to grieve honestly, to seek peace with those who are different, and to fast from the noise that drowns out His voice. Whether God brings immediate healing or gives us grace to endure, what matters most is not the size of our certainty, but the direction of our surrender. God isn’t ashamed of our doubts; He welcomes them, and He welcomes us.

Key Takeaways

1. Faith Grows in the Tension Between Devotion and Doubt True faith isn’t about having all the answers or never questioning. It’s about bringing both our devotion and our doubts to God, trusting that He can handle our uncertainty. The father’s honest prayer—“I believe; help my unbelief”—shows that faith and doubt can coexist, and that God honors honesty over perfection. [44:35]
2. Superficial Certainty Is Fragile; Resilient Faith Is Rooted Certainty can be comforting, but it’s often shallow and easily shaken by life’s storms. Resilient faith, like a tree with deep roots, is able to bend without breaking. It’s forged through honest wrestling, regular time with God, and a willingness to let our questions drive us deeper into relationship with Him. [46:40]
3. God Invites Us to Encounter, Not Just Argument In a world obsessed with winning debates and categorizing people, Jesus calls us to something deeper: a personal encounter with Him. Arguments may win minds, but encounters transform hearts. When pain breaks through the static, it’s an invitation to bring our real selves—our hurts, hopes, and questions—directly to Jesus. [39:15]
4. Disclosed Doubt Invites Divine Power Hiding our doubts doesn’t make them go away; it just keeps us from experiencing God’s power in those places. When we bring our questions and uncertainties into the light, God meets us there with grace and sometimes even miracles. Our doubts are not obstacles to faith, but opportunities for deeper trust and surrender. [40:07]
5. The Direction of Our Surrender Matters More Than the Size of Our Certainty God isn’t looking for flawless faith, but for hearts that are turned toward Him, even in the midst of pain and confusion. Whether He brings immediate healing or gives us strength to endure, what matters is that we keep moving toward Him, bringing our devotion and our doubt. He loves us as we are and invites us to trust Him with all of it. [48:53]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[20:30] - The Danger of Assumptions
[21:17] - Certainty vs. Faith
[22:26] - Fear, Doubt, and the State of the World
[23:53] - Embracing Uncertainty in Life and Faith
[25:56] - Growing Through Doubt
[26:36] - Jesus, the Disciples, and the Desperate Father
[28:54] - Navigating Spiritual Static and Noise
[30:57] - Tuning Our Hearts to God
[32:25] - Pain Demands Devotion
[36:26] - Stigma, Shame, and the Need for Encounter
[39:15] - Encountering God in Our Pain
[40:07] - Disclosed Doubt and Divine Power
[44:35] - Honest Faith: “I Believe; Help My Unbelief”
[46:40] - Resilient Faith: Bending Without Breaking
[48:53] - Surrender Over Certainty
[51:22] - Four Practices for Resilient Faith
[53:28] - Closing Prayer and Invitation

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Mark 9:14-29 (ESV) —
> 14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

Observation Questions

What was the situation that brought the father and his son to Jesus, and how did the crowd and disciples respond? (Mark 9:14-18)
How does the father describe his son’s suffering, and what does he ask of Jesus? (Mark 9:21-22)
What is the father’s response to Jesus’ statement, “All things are possible for one who believes”? (Mark 9:23-24)
According to the sermon, what does Jesus do when faced with arguments and chaos in the crowd? [32:25]

Interpretation Questions

Why might the father have said, “I believe; help my unbelief”? What does this reveal about the nature of faith and doubt? (Mark 9:24) [44:35]
The sermon says, “Disclosed doubt invites divine power.” How does the father’s honesty with Jesus change the outcome of the story? [40:07]
The pastor mentioned that Jesus doesn’t demand flawless certainty but meets us in our devotion and our doubt. What does this suggest about how God views our questions and struggles? [48:10]
In what ways does the story challenge the idea that faith is only valid if it is certain and without questions? [45:27]

Application Questions

The father in the story brings both his faith and his doubts to Jesus. Is there an area in your life where you feel like you need to pretend to have more faith than you actually do? What would it look like to bring your honest doubts to God this week? [44:35]
The sermon compared our hearts to a guitar that needs regular tuning. What is one practical way you can “retune” your heart to God this week—maybe through prayer, scripture, or quiet time? [31:20]
The pastor suggested praying Mark 9:24 each morning: “I believe; help my unbelief.” What is one thing you feel confident about in your faith, and what is one thing you are unsure about that you could surrender to God in prayer? [51:22]
The sermon talked about “superficial certainty” being fragile. Can you think of a time when your faith was shaken because you were relying on easy answers instead of honest relationship with God? What did you learn from that experience? [46:40]
Jesus refused to categorize or judge the father and son, but instead drew near to them. Is there someone in your life who feels like an outsider or is carrying pain or shame? How could you draw near to them this week instead of keeping your distance? [38:40]
The pastor encouraged fasting from “the loudest source of superficial certainty or outrage” (like an app or news channel) and replacing it with time with God. What could you fast from this week, and how might that help you hear God’s voice more clearly? [52:49]
The sermon mentioned that sometimes God brings immediate healing, and other times He gives us grace to endure. How do you respond when God doesn’t answer your prayers the way you hope? What helps you keep moving toward Him in those times? [48:31]

Sermon Clips

Sometimes we don't run from God. We just drift into habits and behaviors that simply numb the pain that, that we feel. It won't heal it for good, but it'll conceal it for now. And some of you, that's just what you've decided. That's as good as it gets. And if you're tired of that, then Jesus has a vision of faith for all of us that we can come to him directly and exactly as we are. That no matter the categories the world has placed on you, Jesus just simply wants to be with you. [00:39:31] (30 seconds) #DoubtInvitesPower

The father of this little boy gives us one more lesson about resilient faith that I, I think is really important. And that is that disclosed doubt invites divine power. That when we stop hiding, when we bring it out into the open, man, there is something so powerful about that we all carry doubts. Even if you don't regularly consider yourself somebody that is like a doubtful person, there is a low level of question that you go like, I'm not sure about this, I don't totally understand that. And this side of eternity, again, you're a fine. In an expansive universe with an infinite God that is this side of eternity. Not every question that we have will get answered before heaven. [00:40:01] (40 seconds) #BringDoubtsToGod

See, it took a resilient kind of faith, one where devotion and doubt could be openly shared with God. A kind of faith that can bend without breaking. There's a principle that we see in the Bible over and over again that talks about being stiff net. And the idea is that when we are immovable, when we are unwilling to learn or to change, we will break rather than bend. When adversity comes, real resilience in our faith is the same kind of thing. It doesn't come from being superficially certain in areas of our life that we know we aren't. It comes from having the flex to grow. Think about a tree in a storm. The ones that survive aren't the ones that can't bend with short, shallow roots. Roots. They're the ones with roots deep enough to allow the tree to sway in the wind. As a matter of fact, scientifically that causes the roots to grow even deeper in the storm. That's what sincere faith does. Even faith that has questions. Because all sincere faith has questions. This is why. This is why our doubt can be a blessing. Usually our doubts are found in places of pain. And it's an invitation to do what this dad did. Not to try to win an argument, but to come to Jesus for an encounter of hope and healing. [00:46:05] (79 seconds) #HonestFaithHealed

Notice how Jesus, he doesn't scold the Father for a lack of faith. He honors the Father's honesty. Jesus doesn't say, come back when you're more certain. Come back when the second part of what you just said is gone. He takes the dad's devotion and his doubt, and he meets him right there with healing. That's why resilient faith requires both your doubts and your devotion. It's still today, just like that. Because faith isn't about pretending to have it all together. It's about bringing your whole self to the One who holds the whole universe together. It always has been. [00:47:56] (35 seconds) #GraceToEndure

Sometimes God does heal miraculously and immediately. I've seen it. I've experienced it. Other times, he gives us the grace to endure. I believe that God will eventually heal all followers of Jesus in eternity. But in the meantime, what God is going to do for lots of us is give us grace to endure, to walk through suffering with him right beside us. But either way, whether God heals you now or he heals you later, what matters is not the size of your certainty, it's the direction of your surrender. Who are you trusting in the midst of your pain? Jesus is inviting us to trust God either way. That's why this passage is not meant to heap shame on us, but to invite us closer. [00:48:31] (43 seconds) #FaithWithTrainingWheels

Don't continue to settle for superficial certainty. See, we're like kids. We're pretending that God can't see what's really happening in our life when he really can. And he's not ashamed of you. He's not embarrassed by you. He loves you. And he wants you to bring your devotion and your doubt to Him. [00:53:18] (18 seconds) #WholeSelfToGod

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