• Doubt is a fundamental distrust, fear, or lack of confidence in personal belief. Questioning one’s beliefs is a healthy part of the growing-up process, but for many teens, fear of being judged keeps them from actually asking the hard questions. Yet asking hard questions—of parents, of friends, of faith—is an important part of coming to own one’s faith.
• The questions of faith are an integral part of the adolescent search for identity. The normal teen tendency to question her parents’ authority and beliefs leads her also to question what she’s been taught about faith. For many this questioning is soon resolved by good teaching and patient listening, but for some, unanswered (or poorly answered) questions can erode their faith.
• There’s nothing wrong with teens asking hard questions about the character of God, the authority of the Bible, and the meaning of faith. Adults who are threatened by these questions drive teens away from the faith. Instead, we need to validate their questions, avoid simplistic answers, value them for their courage and interest, and enter the process of discovery with them.
Psalm 78:18–22 They deliberately tested God by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God by saying, “Can God prepare a banquet in the desert? True, he did strike a rock, and water did gush out, and the streams did overflow. But can he also give us bread or provide us, his people, with meat?” When the LORD heard this, he became furious. His fire burned against Jacob and his anger flared up at Israel because they did not believe God or trust him to save them.
Matthew 14:30–31 But when he noticed how strong the wind was, he became afraid and started to sink. He shouted, “Lord, save me!” Immediately, Jesus reached out, caught hold of him, and said, “You have so little faith! Why did you doubt?”
Matthew 28:16–17 The eleven disciples went to the mountain in Galilee where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they bowed down in worship, though some had doubts.
James 1:6–8 When you ask for something, don’t have any doubts. A person who has doubts is like a wave that is blown by the wind and tossed by the sea. A person who has doubts shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord. A person who has doubts is thinking about two different things at the same time and can’t make up his mind about anything.
CHECK YOURSELF, DO YOU TRUST GOD, OR DO YOU DOUBT GOD?
GOD IS NOT PLEASED WITH YOUR DOUBT.
WHY DO YOU DOUBT GOD?
Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com
PayPal.me/donatetochurch
PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM