Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Doubt

How has our perspective on doubt and faith changed over the years? Today, we seem quick to excuse, even affirm doubt. We take doubt as a sign of an active faith, rather than a sign of a weak faith. But is it often, in fact, a callousness or lack of surrender that feeds our doubts? If relationship is built on trust, and doubt is the antithesis of trust, how can we have a solid relationship with God when we doubt him? If my spouse constantly doubts my abilities and my intentions, our relationship is bound to be unhealthy. She will not be willing to be close to me, much less one with me, and I will certainly be put off. Now God is not human nor one to be put-off. He bears our daily insults without ignominy. But from our side of the bench, we certainly must do damage to our relationship with Him when we doubt. When we do not believe something could be true since it violates our sense of logic, time, and space- we doubt God's abilities. When we do not believe something is true because it violates our sense of ethics, or justice- we doubt God's intentions. Doubt is the domain of those of us with a small god. With our doubts, we cut him down to size. And when he is small, our doubts find more than a feast.