Sunday, January 8, 2012

Doubt and Faith

We all have doubts at times.  We start a project, unsure if we'll be successful, or start it with utmost confidence, only to have doubts part way through.
When I went back to school I knew it would be a long process because I needed to work full time and raise a family also.  I had doubts.  I almost let my doubts stop me from trying and here were many days during school that I doubted I could continue.
Often, in raising children, we doubt how well we will do and how they will turn out.
We consider a job change or moving to another part of the country, we have doubts.
I guess it's part of human nature.
I heard recently that Mother Theresa had many doubts during her lifetime.  She even doubted God.  If Mother Theresa can have doubts about God who are any of us to question our doubts.

Some would say that if our faith were strong enough we wouldn't have doubts.  I don't think that's true.  I think that faith cannot exist without doubt.
Faith is having doubts but continuing on anyway, with school, work, moving, raising children, or caring for the sickest of the sick.
Often, doubt leads us to having just enough faith to turn to a Higher Power in prayer.
A friend sent me a video from the show West Wing, where the leader of the free world is having doubts.  He even doubts if God is listening to him when he prays.
It's a good reminder that God always listens, sometimes we just don't hear the answer and sometimes we just don't like the answer we get.

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