Navigating Spiritual Doubt: Strengthening Faith Through Uncertainty

Summary

Spiritual doubt is a common yet often unspoken experience in the Christian journey. It can strike anyone, regardless of how long they have been a believer. My own journey with doubt began during my freshman year of college, a time when I was surrounded by people yet felt incredibly alone. This period of questioning was not about abandoning my faith but rather grappling with uneasiness and uncertainty. Spiritual doubt is not a one-size-fits-all experience; it varies in time, nature, and severity. It is crucial to address it openly and equip ourselves to handle it when it arises.

Faith, as defined both secularly and biblically, involves a firm belief in something without absolute proof. This tension between certainty and uncertainty is not mutually exclusive. Faith allows us to have conviction in what we cannot see or prove entirely. We exercise faith daily, not just in spiritual matters but in mundane activities as well. Understanding that faith is about trust and assurance in the unseen helps us navigate doubt.

Spiritual doubt can be categorized into two broad questions: "Is Christianity true?" and "Am I really saved?" These questions can stem from factual, emotional, or volitional doubts. Factual doubt seeks more answers, emotional doubt lacks peace, and volitional doubt questions the desire to follow God. Recognizing the type of doubt we face is essential in addressing it effectively.

To combat doubt, we must engage in spiritual disciplines such as prayer, scripture reading, and fellowship. These practices help us remain grounded in truth and provide strength during times of uncertainty. Additionally, seeking godly counsel and sharing our experiences with others can offer support and encouragement. Doubt is not the opposite of faith; rather, it is an opportunity to deepen our trust in God. By leaning into our faith and the evidence that supports it, we can overcome doubt and grow stronger in our relationship with God.

Key Takeaways:

- Understanding Faith: Faith involves a tension between certainty and uncertainty, allowing us to have conviction in what we cannot see or prove entirely. It is about trust and assurance in the unseen, which helps us navigate doubt. [08:29]

- Types of Spiritual Doubt: Spiritual doubt can be categorized into factual, emotional, and volitional doubts. Recognizing the type of doubt we face is essential in addressing it effectively. [17:46]

- Combatting Doubt with Spiritual Disciplines: Engaging in spiritual disciplines such as prayer, scripture reading, and fellowship helps us remain grounded in truth and provides strength during times of uncertainty. [34:46]

- The Role of Community: Sharing our experiences with others and seeking godly counsel can offer support and encouragement. Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is an opportunity to deepen our trust in God. [36:49]

- Leveraging Doubt for Growth: Doubt can be leveraged to strengthen our faith rather than weaken it. By leaning into our faith and the evidence that supports it, we can overcome doubt and grow stronger in our relationship with God. [41:39]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:31] - Personal Story of Doubt
- [04:01] - The Loneliness of Doubt
- [06:00] - Introduction to Spiritual Doubt
- [08:29] - Understanding Faith
- [09:58] - Everyday Examples of Faith
- [11:38] - The Nature of Faith
- [13:15] - Biblical Perspective on Faith
- [14:20] - Overcoming Spiritual Doubt
- [15:43] - The Role of Evidence in Faith
- [16:47] - Doubting Your Doubts
- [17:46] - Categories of Spiritual Doubt
- [19:53] - Types of Doubt Explained
- [22:23] - Volitional Doubt
- [23:28] - Am I Really Saved?
- [26:30] - Assurance of Salvation
- [27:06] - Emotional Doubt and Assurance
- [28:11] - Active Faith and Salvation
- [30:23] - The Holy Spirit's Assurance
- [31:50] - Is Christianity True?
- [34:46] - Dealing with Volitional Doubt
- [36:13] - The Importance of Community
- [36:49] - Seeking Help and Support
- [39:27] - Resources for Overcoming Doubt
- [41:02] - Sharing Experiences
- [41:39] - Conclusion and Encouragement
- [43:45] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Hebrews 11:1-3, 6
- 1 Peter 1:8-9
- 1 John 5:10-13

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Observation Questions:

1. According to Hebrews 11:1, how is faith defined in the Bible, and how does this definition compare to the secular understanding of faith? [08:29]

2. What are the two broad categories of spiritual doubt mentioned in the sermon, and how do they differ from each other? [17:46]

3. In 1 John 5:10-13, what assurance does John provide to believers about their salvation? How does this relate to the concept of emotional doubt? [26:30]

4. How does the sermon describe the role of spiritual disciplines in combating doubt, and what specific practices are mentioned? [34:46]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the tension between certainty and uncertainty in faith, as described in Hebrews 11, help believers navigate their spiritual doubts? [08:29]

2. What might be the underlying reasons for someone to experience volitional doubt, and how can understanding these reasons help in addressing such doubts? [22:23]

3. How does the assurance provided in 1 John 5:10-13 help believers overcome emotional doubt about their salvation? What role does the Holy Spirit play in this assurance? [30:23]

4. How can recognizing the type of doubt one is experiencing (factual, emotional, or volitional) aid in effectively addressing and overcoming it? [19:53]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you experienced spiritual doubt. What type of doubt was it, and how did you address it? How might the insights from this sermon help you handle similar doubts in the future? [04:01]

2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of community in overcoming doubt. How can you actively seek or provide support within your church community to those experiencing doubt? [36:49]

3. Consider the spiritual disciplines mentioned in the sermon. Which discipline do you find most challenging, and what steps can you take to incorporate it more consistently into your life? [34:46]

4. How can you leverage your own experiences with doubt to encourage and support others who may be struggling with their faith? [41:02]

5. The sermon suggests that doubt can be an opportunity to deepen trust in God. How can you shift your perspective to see doubt as a chance for growth rather than a setback? [41:39]

6. Identify a specific area in your life where you feel uncertain or doubtful. What evidence or biblical truths can you remind yourself of to strengthen your faith in that area? [14:20]

7. How can you practice "doubting your doubts" as suggested in the sermon, and what practical steps can you take to evaluate the legitimacy of your doubts? [16:47]

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing the Tension of Faith
Faith is a journey that involves navigating the tension between certainty and uncertainty. It is not about having all the answers but about trusting in what cannot be fully seen or proven. This understanding of faith allows individuals to hold conviction in the unseen, providing a foundation to navigate through periods of doubt. Faith is not limited to spiritual matters; it is exercised in everyday life, from trusting that the sun will rise to believing in the love of family and friends. Recognizing that faith is about trust and assurance in the unseen can help believers remain steadfast even when faced with spiritual doubt. [08:29]

Hebrews 11:1-3 (ESV): "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find it hardest to trust in the unseen? How can you begin to embrace the tension of faith in these areas today?

Day 2: Identifying Your Doubts
Spiritual doubt can manifest in various forms, including factual, emotional, and volitional doubts. Factual doubt arises from a need for more information or evidence, emotional doubt stems from a lack of peace or assurance, and volitional doubt questions one's desire to follow God. Recognizing the type of doubt one is experiencing is crucial for addressing it effectively. By understanding the nature of their doubts, individuals can seek appropriate resources and support to work through them, ultimately strengthening their faith. [17:46]

James 1:5-6 (ESV): "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind."

Reflection: What type of doubt are you currently experiencing—factual, emotional, or volitional? How can you seek wisdom and support to address this doubt today?

Day 3: Strengthening Faith Through Spiritual Disciplines
Engaging in spiritual disciplines such as prayer, scripture reading, and fellowship is essential for remaining grounded in truth and finding strength during times of uncertainty. These practices help believers connect with God, providing a source of comfort and guidance when faced with doubt. By prioritizing these disciplines, individuals can cultivate a deeper relationship with God, allowing them to navigate challenges with greater resilience and faith. [34:46]

Colossians 3:16 (ESV): "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

Reflection: Which spiritual discipline do you feel most drawn to at this moment—prayer, scripture reading, or fellowship? How can you incorporate this discipline into your daily routine to strengthen your faith?

Day 4: The Power of Community in Overcoming Doubt
Sharing experiences with others and seeking godly counsel can provide invaluable support and encouragement when dealing with doubt. Community plays a vital role in the Christian journey, offering a safe space for individuals to express their struggles and receive guidance. By engaging with a supportive community, believers can find reassurance and strength, knowing they are not alone in their journey. Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is an opportunity to deepen one's trust in God through the support of others. [36:49]

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (ESV): "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!"

Reflection: Who in your community can you reach out to for support and encouragement in your faith journey? How can you also be a source of support for someone else today?

Day 5: Leveraging Doubt for Spiritual Growth
Doubt can be a catalyst for spiritual growth rather than a hindrance. By leaning into faith and the evidence that supports it, individuals can overcome doubt and emerge stronger in their relationship with God. Doubt provides an opportunity to explore and deepen one's understanding of faith, ultimately leading to a more resilient and mature spiritual life. Embracing doubt as a tool for growth allows believers to develop a more profound trust in God and His promises. [41:39]

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Reflection: How can you view your current doubts as an opportunity for spiritual growth? What steps can you take to explore and deepen your understanding of faith today?

Quotes

Thank you, Jennifer. Thank you, praise team. If you want to go and turn to Hebrews chapter 11, that's where we're going to start off this morning. And I know what you're thinking. You knew I was preaching because you saw the stage extensions. So I am going to start this morning in a way that I typically do not start sermons. When it comes to preaching, I'm just not a big storyteller. I'm just not. But that actually is how I'm going to start today. Because I get to preach this morning on a topic that is very important to me, is very personal to me. And it's one of those things where I knew I wanted to do this at some point. And today gets to be that day. So we're talking about the topic of spiritual doubt. [00:00:04] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

What is what I think one of the most common experiences in the Christian life, but one of the least talked about. Certainly one of the least talked about. One of the least preached about. And so with that, I want to delve into this topic this morning. So I want to start with telling you just a little bit about my experience. So we're going to rewind to 10 years ago, my freshman year of college, first semester. It was at that time when about midway -ish through the semester, I was in a lecture or something that started talking about, you know, doubt a little bit about apologetics. [00:00:50] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

And it was that moment that started what was between somewhere a year to two years of me seriously questioning my faith. Uh, not to the point of like, I was about to leave the faith, but enough to where I was not confident. I had a lot of uneasiness. Uh, and it just to say it was not a fun experience is to put it, uh, mildly. Um, it was, you know, as far as the number of people go, I was probably around the most number of people at that time in my life, more than any between being at Liberty university and even coming home to, you know, this size of a congregation. So I was probably around more people. Then at any point in my life, but it was one of the loneliest times of my life, uh, to the point where, and it's crazy, the things that you can remember, I can remember definitely one. I think it was two Christmas Eve services where I'm sitting back here about midway stand and singing, you know, joy is in the air. Everyone, you know, it's great. And I feel nothing. [00:03:00] (62 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

And I want us to talk about it. I want us to look at it a couple of different angles so that when we do face it, and I'm assuming there's people in here who are experiencing some of this on a level right now, that we are better equipped with how to deal with it. Because here's the thing. Here's the thing is spiritual doubt, it varies in time, in nature, in severity. It's not cookie cutter, right? And it's also indiscriminate. It doesn't matter whether you've been a believer for five years or been a believer for 50 years, it can get you. And unfortunately, just about, if not everybody has to deal with this at some point in their life. [00:05:02] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

So to give you a secular definition, Webster says that faith is firm belief in something for which there is no proof. Firm belief in something for which there is no proof. What does the Bible say that faith is? Very, very similar. Hebrews 11, the first place that I told you to. I'm looking at two versions of this. So one, the ESV rendering. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Okay? The assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Another version, New King James. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Now notice, whether you're looking at the secular definition or the biblical definition, there's this tension. There's this tension between what is definite and what is not. Okay? What is definite and what is not. Now faith is the assurance definite of things hoped for, indefinite. The conviction definite of things not seen, how we typically think about as indefinite, right? So there's this tension. [00:07:12] (77 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

But yet what we see is that even though there's this tension, the two aren't mutually exclusive. They're not mutually exclusive. They're not mutually exclusive. They're not mutually exclusive. You can have conviction. You can have substance. You can have assurance in what you can't prove a hundred percent. An example is that the believer can have conviction, can have assurance in God, that which he cannot see. So even though we think of them as opposites, they actually can kind of co -mingle together. [00:08:29] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

By definition, faith is putting trust, confidence, assurance in something that cannot be proven 100%. Because it ceases to be faith if you can prove it 100%. You don't need faith, in something that's 100%. The two, the one negates the other. So what does it mean when we're biblically called to faith? What does it mean to use faith to combat doubt? One of the things is understanding that we don't put a burden on ourselves to have assurance and confidence to a level and a point that nothing else in life does. [00:11:42] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

And here's what I think is one of the key to overcoming spiritual doubt. Is that when we are faced with whether it is circumstances, whether it is belief systems, whatever it is. Then when we look at that thing. And we compare it to the evidence. We compare it to what we know in scripture. And we hold the two together. We see that the Bible itself. We see that Christ itself. We see that the principles within the Bible. Have an evidentiary weight. Have a believability. To where everything else pales in comparison. So ultimately, whether we realize that we're thinking through all of these things or not. Ultimately, we are coming to faith decisions. And choosing one thing. One person over these. The other. [00:13:44] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

So that's faith. That's how faith factors into this whole thing. Now, what about, I keep talking about spiritual doubt. What does spiritual doubt look like? Does it have different forms? Is there certain questions that we can ask ourselves to navigate this? Well, that's what we're going to look at right now is we're going to look at the two broad categories. of spiritual doubt, and then we're going to look at the types of doubt. I can follow those categories. [00:17:17] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

So, and typically kind of the crazy thing, but also I think kind of an assuring thing, is that typically the people that go through emotional doubt, are people who legitimately love the Lord and legitimately want to be obedient and believe the right stuff. Typically those are the people who go through emotional doubt. And so in some ways they're the least to be concerned about, because their doubt ultimately stems from wanting to do the right thing. [00:20:42] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

And one other comment on emotional doubt, and I'm going to emphasize that I'm going to speak broadly here, because what I'm about to say is something that nowadays gets you in trouble. So again, generally broad, broadly speaking, women do a much better job of handling emotional doubt than men. And here's why. Because typically, broadly, women can identify when they're going through emotional doubt. And since they can identify it, they treat it as such. They treat it as emotional doubt. Men think they're going through factual doubt. They think they're going through the process of needing more answers, but it's not. They're not. They're not. They're not. They're not. They're not. in actuality, it's just an emotional response. And how you know if this is you is you get answer after answer after answer, and that just produces question after question after question. No amount of answers that you can get when going through a moment. emotional doubt is going to fix the emotional doubt. So one of the important things about doubt is understanding and recognizing which doubt am I going through. [00:21:24] (67 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

So the husband who loses his wife at the age of 35, God could have prevented that, but he didn't. The couple whose child is born with severe disabilities, God could have prevented that, but he didn't. The family member whose relationship with a loved one has been completely cut off with no seemingly explanation, understanding that God could have intervened in that, and he didn't. So you go through those things, it's like God could have, but he didn't. So why should I continue with this? That's what we're talking about when we're talking about volitional doubt. [00:22:43] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

If you are actively believing in Christ right now, there had to be a moment where that actually began. Now, to be clear, one thing I want to differentiate is simply acknowledging who Christ is or knowing about Christ. That doesn't cut it. When I say act, when he, when he writes actively following, that means biblical obedience. That means, you know, living the Christian life. Not that we gain salvation by the Christian life, but the Christian life is an evidence of the inward transformation that has already taken place. That is separate from when we read, when we read in James 2 .19, where he says, you believe that God is one good, even the demons believe and they shudder. So even demons have an understanding about Christ, frankly, a very accurate understanding of who he is, but yet that's not equivalent to salvation. [00:28:37] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

So ultimately, every believer has to deal with this question at some point in their life. Okay? If you're saved as an adult, then you deal with that question, that right there and then. Right? If you're saved as a child, like I was, as I'm sure many of you were, you're almost definitely going to have to deal with that question at some point later in life. Because even though you're raised in it, even though you might know scripture through and through, that doesn't mean that you are insulated from the attacks of Satan and spiritual warfare. Because if I dare say, and something that was revealed to me in my time of doubt was my arrogance. Because I figured, look, if there's anybody who's immune from doubt, it's the kid who was raised in the church, who's going to school to be a preacher and is actively taking ministry classes to go towards that end. I mean, I'm literally saturated with the Bible. How in the world am I going to be subjected to doubt? It happens. [00:31:28] (58 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

And here's the thing, too. And this is not only applicable to, you know, volitional, but in all types. Godly relationships can be so important in battling this stuff. And here's the thing that's important to understand. The doubter, the person that is suffering, is not always going to seek out the help. Okay? When you're going through something, and you're really wrestling with it, a lot of times the instinct is to internalize it. To act like nothing happens. I'm going to work on it on my own time, but I don't want anybody to know anything. That's exactly the opposite of what we need to do. When I was going through my time, I talked to two people. Good people, at least I talked to somebody. But I can tell you, I could have used more. [00:36:23] (56 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

So in close, I want to cover just a couple of, a couple of concluding points. One, and this is from Sean McDowell. Doubt is not the antithesis of faith. If you are doubting, that doesn't mean you don't have faith. The antithesis or the opposite of faith is unbelief and unbelief and doubt are two very different things. Okay. So that's, that's important that we grasp that. Second, even though scripture needs to be the source that we always turn to in our times of help and understanding, again, God has empowered and enlightened human beings to write some pretty helpful books on some different subjects. [00:38:49] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

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