Doubting Faith

"Doubt isn't the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith." - Paul Tillich

I found that quote within a book that I am reading
Doubt is a necessary part of our faith- doubt helps us to process what we are learning and experiencing about God and ultimately solidifies our faith as we come out the other side.
If faith is a journey (and I believe that it is)that we are "being" changed into the likeness of Christ, day by day, as we yield our selves and our bodies to His will and Word- ...

as we encounter or experience God in our lives in moments of mountain top experiences like Peter at the Transfiguration- and we can't live there- there is inevitably a valley on the other side of the mountain- We then find ourselves in a place where we begin to doubt whether or not God's Word is true or whether God's presence was real or whether God is for me -("you don't know how messed up I feel") etc... We hear something and it discourages us from persevering in our goal to serve God -you fill in the blank-

Yet -Doubt, when it is a country we are merely passing through- can actually be good! When we perceive something of God- doubt creeps in -it comes in to ask did it really happen or is God really?

Allow doubt to ask questions...yet seek for truthful answers- don't get carried away by doubt - examine what happened, examine that claim- or discouraging voice in light of God's hand on your life now, or in the past and in light of what God promises in His WOrd.

God's Word continually tells us to seek - seek for Jesus- seek for Truth- seek for Wisdom- it is a gift from God.
(Did you know that Daniel and his friends were the wisest men in the most powerful and elaborate empire on earth in their day...it wasn't just because they ate their veggies...Daniel credits his wisdom to God!) James tells us that if anyone lacks wisdom that he/she should ask God who gives freely. God is the giver of good gifts to His children. Proverbs tells us that Wisdom cries out in the street... it is actively ready to engage those seeking her.

Doubt your doubts- but not just because that is a cute saying- arg!I don't think just because you get a sappy e-mail with pictures of nature and some pseudo spiritual poem on the bottom telling you to live life to the full because having an ice-cream under a perfect blue sky with someone you love- is really going to solve all of humanity's problems! But examine!

Doubt is part of the cycle of growing our faith. We have a mountain top experience, or God promises to do something in us or through us which seems unbelievable- we doubt- it is just the real human part of us which is in a struggle to believe God at His Word. But think about it- read the story of Abraham again - Abraham's doubt in the early part of his walk with God was just a land that he passed through before settling in the land where true obedient faith is found. Abraham would not have been able to absolutely trust God in offering up his son Isaac on the alter- unless his faith had been formed through doubt to the realization that God can do what He promises! His evergrowing relationship with a living God had been solidified by his journey through roads filled with doubt and he KNEW God well enough to know that God had a plan- and not a plan to take his son Isaac- through whom a nation would be formed!

Take courage- It is I- Jesus says! Get out of the boat!