Day 29 - Faith and Doubt Inside the Four Walls

   Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.  The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

    And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”  Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

   And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

   Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:24-29


I've always liked the story of Doubting Thomas.  We all I can learn so much about faith from this story.

Thomas doubted that Jesus was really Jesus after the ressurrection.  The key to the whole thing is this line: Thomas was not with them when Jesus came.

I don't know where Thomas was, but he wasn't where he should have been.  He did not believe because he was out of fellowship with Jesus.

As for John, can't we sort of say the same thing?  He had doubt because he was sort of out of fellowship with the One he was supposed to have been preparing the way for?  John, after all, was in prison. 

I know when I am out of fellowship with Him, things just aren't the same.  I may not necessarily have doubt about Him, but my life isn't the same.  It feels like part of me is missing. Things may happen at home or work that cause me to doubt my abilities or if I am actually in His will. 

God calls for me in subtle ways.  He usually sends me some needed praise, a love song from Him, something that says, "You are mine and I love you."

That's usually when I feel like an idiot for getting myself worked up and out of sorts.  Like, "Why would I even thing that?"

One work that God has done in me is made me a little less emotional.  Maybe that comes with age; I don't know.  But I think those of us who are almost driven by emotion have a hard time distinguishing between "head doubt" and "heart doubt."  After all, if my heart is feeling it, my head must be telling it to. Right?  No.

Satan is so good at using our emotions to get us upset with God.  We have to be very careful with that.  The moment we begin to doubt, a red flag should go up and we should be in prayer about the situtation.  Things are going to happen that are going to cause doubt. It think that is a given.  However, we need to be in constant fellowship with Jesus to keep the doubt from getting the best of us.

We must never lose FAITH in Him.  Doubting can cause that to happen.  If we lose faith in our friends, we will see the worst in them always and lose them.  If we lose faith in our family, we will not see them for what they are and lose them.  Losing faith causes us to push others away.   We must NEVER lose faith in Jesus, nor push Him away.