It’s a topic we’re sometimes afraid to talk about, or even admit we think about: doubt.
Because I make my living writing and speaking about faith, I often feel a bit of surprise when I have those moments of doubt. What if the truth I’ve staked my life on isn’t true at all?
That’s one reason I found John Ortberg’s latest book, Faith and Doubt, so reassuring. John’s a pastor, a bestselling Christian author. He admits to his own doubts in this book, and by doing so, bolstered my faith.
As usual, John combines deep theological truth with stories that make you laugh. His premise in this book is that the most important word in the phrase “Faith and Doubt” is the one in the middle. There’s a tension between faith and doubt, and we actually need both. With such intriguing chapter titles as “The Strange Silence of God” and “The Gift of Uncertainty” this book is both thought-provoking and encouraging.
So often we feel guilty when we doubt, but this book assures us that doubts actually strengthen our faith. He writes, “Because old Mother Nature is a dysfunctional parent who keeps sending us mixed messages, we need both faith and doubt. The birth of every infant whispers of a God who loves stories; the death of every infant calls his existence into question. Writer Michael Novak says that doubt is not so much a dividing line that separates people into different camps as it is a razor’s edge that runs through every soul.”
If you have ever doubted, or if you think you never have, this book is for you.
I’ve already given away copies to newsletter readers Anne Warman and Kimberlee Patton (yes, newsletter subscribers get first chance at free books). But thanks to the kind folks at Zondervan Publishing, I have two more copies to give away. So if you would like to win a copy, send me an e-mail. We’ll pick a winner on Monday.
In Susan BanBreathnach’s book Simple Abundance she writes about these gaps in our faith. She says, “Perhaps the gaps are what make faith possible, especially when the pain is unbearable. If there were no doubt, why would we need faith? Perhaps the doubts must be acknowledged, accepted, embraced, and pushed past before our faith is strong enough, not just to talk about, but to sustain.” I love this quote.
Part of this being real with God and with one another is acknowledging the gaps. Yes, even being grateful for what they teach us. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for. The evidence of things not seen.” Sounds like a great read!