Doubt as Fruitful Catalyst to Spiritual Growth

Fiona and Terryl Givens have made a thought-provoking contribution to recent online discussions concerning the subject of doubt (a topic I shared a few thoughts concerning in this recent post). The Givens explain that “doubt” is an “ambiguous” term, neither positive, nor negative. Doubt is simply part of spiritual growth:

“Doubt, if not suppressed or repressed, can be a fruitful catalyst to spiritual growth and discovery. To vilify doubt in all its forms has pernicious consequences. It can forestall progress, create testimonies of glass, and breed resentment. First, because it characterizes as sinful what is in many cases a fully legitimate and honorable response to the normal vicissitudes of our own spiritual equilibrium or to the inevitable eruptions of cognitive dissonance.”