Can Dismantled Faith Be Put Back Together?

Most of you have seen the posts and firestorm regarding some notable Christian figures that have expressed their doubts; some going as far as to say their faith has been deconstructed. It's unsettling. It's painful, not only to watch someone you respect renounce their faith, but also to see the damage it does to those already weak in faith. It's one thing to take the exit ramp. It's another thing to try and get someone to follow you when you're not even sure where you're headed. 

In Luke 24, Peter hears as the women recount their visit to the empty tomb. According to Luke, the "words seemed to them like nonsense." They "did not believe the women." (Luke 24:11) But Peter still ran to the tomb, saw the clothes and departed, "wondering to himself what had happened." His faith was weak and his doubts were many. But he investigated and he wondered. 

Doubts are real and because we haven't seen some realities first-hand we may have a lot of them. Suffering, the problem of evil, and mysteries of the Bible are unsettling. Doubts may strengthen and faith may weaken. But does that mean this can't be reversed? 

Doubt and faith aren't mutually exclusive. When I deposit a check into my account at the bank, my faith is strong in that bank. But is there a hint of doubt? There may be 1% doubt that a certain payer may or may not be good for the check. Even in this, I may need reassurance sometimes. I may call and ask, "Did it clear?" That doesn't mean my faith has disappeared. It's just the creeping of doubt. 

Timothy Keller is often quoted saying, "Learn to doubt your doubts." I think what he's saying is that doubt can rise or fall. Have you been shaken by reading Richard Dawkins or Sam Harris? Counter those doubts by reading the gospels along with the writings of William Lane Craig, Rebecca McLaughlin, Timothy Keller, C.S. Lewis. Those bright minds have walked through valleys of doubt and came out the other side with weaker doubts and stronger faith. You can too. 

When doubt begins to dismantle your faith, don't just stand and watch. Don't roll over. Investigate. Wonder. Go to the tomb. 

Prayer: Lord, I've heard the gospel. I hear the testimony of others. Sometimes my faith is weak. Help me. Forgive me. Although I wonder, may I be amazed and strengthened as I investigate. 

Expectations

While I was praying recently, I asked the Lord, "Spirit of God fall fresh on me." Almost immediately I heard a voice say, "What if it really happened? Do you expect it?"

I wonder how often do we pray but really don't expect much to happen.

Here's what I know. It's the strategy of the enemy of your soul to make you quit expecting God to ever do anything big. To make you feel isolated and alone in the world. To make you focus on yourself and what you don’t have and what you can’t do. To make you rehearse the past until you know it by heart…until all godly expectations are squeezed out of you, like being in the wringer cycle of a washing machine. To settle in the house of low expectations.

But don't do it. Don't fall prey to the oldest play in the book; the temptation from the serpent, "God is not gracious. He is not good."

I don't think it's chance that Jesus' best friend was named by God: John, which means "God is gracious."

I challenge you to expect good from God's hand today. He is gracious.

I Got a Rock

There's a scene in "It's the Great Pumpkin" with Charlie Brown and friends. After the first door of trick or treat, with bags in hand, they compare their treats:
 
ALL: "I got five pieces of candy!” “I got a chocolate bar!” “I got a quarter!”  
Charlie Brown: “I got a rock.”

Some see prayer like that. We can ask in prayer, but you never know what you're gonna get. It might be bad.
Jesus turns this idea on it's head in Matthew 7: 9, "Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?" (ESV). Jesus is saying, "Does any sane father give you a rock if you ask for bread?" No, is the expected answer!

Jesus continues,

10"Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (ESV)


Jesus has encouragement for all the Charlie Browns among us: "Your heavenly Father doesn't surprise you with something hurtful. So go ahead and ask."