Overcoming Doubt: 4 Lessons From Doubting Thomas

Mar 28

Discover what we can learn from Doubting Thomas. Explore the intense doubt he experienced and how it can teach us to handle our doubts. Learn why it’s essential to be honest about our doubts, take them to Jesus, and why doubt shouldn’t be feared. Let Thomas’s story encourage you to see how doubt can bring us closer to God.

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin,[a] was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

A Bout with Doubt

Have you ever gone through a “bout” or period of intense activity with a problem?

Most of us have something going on right now. Perhaps you’re struggling with a bout of illness, fear, depression, anxiety, worry, sadness, disillusionment, or it could be a bad attitude. The severity of those can vary based on a multitude of things.

Our featured biblical character today is Thomas. He also had a bout with doubt, and our Scripture passage paints a portrait of the intensity of his doubt. Sometimes we, too, struggle to believe even when the evidence is standing right before us.

I feel sorry for Thomas being known as the most famous doubter in the Bible because he was so much more than His doubts. “Doubting Thomas” was also “Believing Thomas.”

Scripture reveals several places where Thomas had a believing heart, such as John 11:16 and John 14:5, but this passage uncovers the opposite. Christian tradition tells us that Thomas carried the Gospel all the way to India.

Imagine a God who transforms even our doubt for His purposes? So, what can we learn from Thomas about doubting?

4 Steps to Handling Our Doubt

1) Don’t Be Afraid of Your Doubts

JESUS: “Peace be with you!” John 20:26

Jesus knew how fear would shake His disciples’ hearts and that it wouldn’t be easy for them to believe. John 14:1, 27 tells us He told them not to let their hearts be troubled or afraid. Don’t even be scared of your own doubts! The risen Christ conquers all!

Doubt should not be worn like a badge of honor because it is in some circles. For example, some people feel that faith is only for the weak-minded. Christian author Dallas Willard said, “We live in a culture that has, for centuries now, cultivated the idea that the skeptical person is always smarter than one who believes. You can almost be as stupid as a cabbage as long as you doubt.”

However, doubt also shouldn’t be a stigma in the Church. People ask for prayer for almost everything but rarely for their doubts. Yet our pews are full of closeted doubters because we fear our doubt. Instead, it needs to be a talking point and a tipping point that leads us through our desperation closer to God.

Doubt shouldn’t be a badge or a stigma but just one more opportunity to know God. It’s necessary to advance and deepen us. We should know that a faith that asks questions is stronger than a faith that never thinks.

Thomas was much more than his doubts, but there is no doubt that his mind kept getting in the way. That’s what doubt is, a matter of the mind when we can’t understand what, why, or how God is doing. Although Thomas’ mind got in the way, his heart was wholly committed to Jesus.

2) Take Your Doubts to Jesus

I love Thomas because I can relate to him. Like us, he was a bundle of paradoxes. We believe, and we doubt. We hope, and we get discouraged; We love, and we sometimes hate. Jude encourages us to “Be merciful to those who doubt.”

Thomas hasn’t struggled alone, though. Many Biblical characters struggled with doubt: Job, Moses, Elijah, Asaph, David, etc.

John the Baptist, the most unexpected doubter, faced a crisis of doubt at the end of his life. He was in such a low place due to emotional strain that he asked, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”

We are most susceptible to doubt when the world weighs heavy on us. Things weren’t turning out as John the Baptist expected; however, even in his doubt, Jesus described John the Baptist as the greatest man born of women (Luke 7:28). Jesus offers us a secret of why we doubt – because we are human and made of dust.

“Put your finger right here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side.” John 20:27

John took his doubts straight to Jesus. We can doubt without sinning so long as our doubts bring us back to Christ.

Doubt feels like swimming in an alligator-infested swamp. They can be scary and swallow us if we dwell (swim) in them rather than take them to Jesus.

The way we win over doubt is to take our doubt to Jesus. If we take our doubts to Him, He becomes a bridge of safety, helping us walk over and above our doubts. So John took his doubts straight to Jesus, and Thomas did too.

3) Be Honest About Your Doubts

In Matthew 28:17, we see that other disciples doubted the resurrected Christ was who He claimed to be. However, Thomas was the honest one.

Mark 9 tells the story of a father bringing his son to Jesus. The boy struggled with seizures and asked Jesus, “But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

Jesus replies, “If you can? Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately, the boy’s father exclaimed, I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:23-24

There is a difference between doubt and unbelief. Doubt is the mind battling to make sense of it all. However, unbelief is a matter of the will. Unbelief is when we refuse to believe God’s Word and obey His commands. It’s a lack of commitment.

“Repressed doubts have a high rate of resurrection.”

— John Powell, Christian author

Some great saints have struggled with doubt in the last five hundred years. However, each one finished their course in the faith.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, wrestled with doubts. Most of us have heard of Wesley’s conversion at Aldersgate when he wrote of his heart being “strangely warmed” (May 24, 1738). We assume that he lived “happily ever after” from that point. But less than a year later, Wesley wrote in his journal, “I know that I am not a Christian. I know it because I do not feel that I love God and his Son Jesus Christ as my Savior.” Later, he led England in a great spiritual awakening that sparked a revival in America.

Welsh minister Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones said, “If your faith bothers you, it’s not in your heart, but in your head.” If your doubt displeases you, it is because the Lord indwells you.

4) Ask God to Sanctify Your Doubts

Ask God to set your experience of doubt apart for His glory. The enemy would like to take your doubts and destroy you. However, you can commission your doubt about His services. Doubt, like suffering, is a tool God can use if only we turn it over to him.

“When we sanctify doubt, we’re letting doubt sharpen our faith, not shake it.” Michael Babcock, How Can I Believe When I Have So Many Doubts? (p. 65)

Christ is our example. God sanctified His Son’s struggle every time. Whether in the wilderness, the Garden, or on the Cross, He was sanctified because He had only one goal: the Father be honored.

Jesus turned to what He knew rather than dwelling on His doubts. He turned to His Father’s Word because anything that contradicts the Word of God is a lie.

That’s what Thomas does. We don’t know if he actually touched Jesus’ side or not, but after Jesus told him to “stop doubting and believe,” Thomas said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Thomas’ declaration and confession are greater than his doubt.

Thomas’ bout with doubt was conquered by a personal encounter with the Living God, and ours can be too!

TL;DR

Thomas, known as “Doubting Thomas,” had a bout with doubt; however, Scripture reveals several places where he had a believing heart.
Doubt is necessary to advance and deepen us. A faith that asks questions is stronger than a faith that never thinks.
Doubt shouldn’t be a badge or a stigma but just one more opportunity to know God.
There are four lessons to handling doubt we can learn from Thomas.