If Doubt Feels Like You’re Losing Your Faith
I first heard God’s voice through the lips of my mother.
And I don’t remember ever wondering if God was real during my growing up years.
It wasn’t until adult-sized worries and tragedies visited that doubt and questions took hold and tried to rattle my faith. Maybe worse than the doubt, I thought I was alone in those shaky times. And I was a bit embarrassed to be asking basic faith questions as a longtime believer. So mostly, I didn’t talk about my uncertainties.
Until heart failure.
Then I learned I had to ask the questions. I had to wrestle them down—not to unravel my faith, but to fortify it. Turns out, that’s how faith is often scaffolded in trying times. Because it makes it difficult to ignore Him.
I've learned I had to ask the questions. I had to wrestle them down—not to unravel my faith, but to fortify it. Turns out, that’s how faith is often scaffolded in trying times. Because it makes it difficult to ignore Him.Click To Tweet
I love how Frederick Buechner puts it,
Doubt is the ants in the pants of faith.
I eventually wrote my debut book of essays (Buechner is in the acknowledgments) based on what I discovered were the three questions every life must answer. I found that the questions, my doubts, kept my faith alive when it would have been so easy for it to fall apart. Those questions were my tether to God in the trying times. They kept Him top of mind every day as I struggled to keep believing.
Once my book based on the three questions, Divine Detour, was released, Suzie Eller helped celebrate the launch.
Suzie is a bestselling author of 12 books, an international speaker, a top 100 Christian women’s blogger, a podcaster, and a long-time writing mentor. So having her fingerprints on my launch was a dream come true. And then to read my own quote on her blog was just something completely over the top.
I am thrilled to share Suzie’s blog post with you, highlighting my new book about questions, and doubt, and the stronger faith that emerged.
I pray it helps someone today needing to know the uncertainties they’re feeling are not destroying their faith, that God gives them permission to ask their questions, and mostly, that they are not alone.
Read Suzie’s beautiful reflections on my book launch here.
(TIP: If you’re looking for the best way to help Divine Detour get into hands that need it, please leave a quick review.)
