*Sidebar: The opinions expressed here are my own (or those of the guest writer); I do not speak for any other person, group or organization; nor do I imply that the opinions expressed here reflect those of any other person, group or organization unless I say so specifically. Before commenting read the entire post and the \u201cNote to commenters\u201d at its end.*<\/em><\/p>\nNow I can look at my bookshelf and see at least five books by evangelical-leaning (they may not call themselves evangelicals now) pastors and theologians praising doubt\u2014not as something to work through and get over but as something positive and to be embraced.<\/p>\n
I will not doubt or question them\u2014except in my own experience. I don\u2019t really understand this idea of doubt and faith because I\u2019ve never experienced it. From my earliest memories until now I can honestly say I\u2019ve never wrestled with doubt\u2014about God\u2019s existence (and I mean the God of Jesus Christ) or his goodness and love.<\/p>\n
You may think \u201cWell, then Roger Olson has never experienced really bad things in his life.\u201d You would be wrong. If I went through a litany of bad experiences I have had, things I have suffered, you would suspect I was seeking pity or sympathy. So I won\u2019t. You will just have to believe me when I say that in my life some pretty awful things have happened. I will just mention one\u2014not to draw pity but to say \u201cYes, I have experienced real tragedy.\u201d My mother died when I was only two and a half years old. I remember the day she died very clearly. It was traumatic for everyone who loved her. She was only thirty-two years old. She left behind two little boys who ended up in foster care for two years indirectly because of her death. Now, moving on\u2026.<\/p>\n
A song that was sung by soloists in our church (when I was growing up) comes to mind: \u201cDoes Jesus Care?\u201d \u201cOh, yes he cares; I know he cares\u2026.\u201d The message I grew up with can be summed up this way: This world is fallen and broken and God works with it that way. Sometimes he intervenes to rescue or heal, but not always. God always has reasons, but we are not privy to his secrets. But we know that when we suffer, God is there suffering with us. And we know that someday this present suffering will be nothing compared with the glory we will experience. Then we will look back on all this suffering (\u201ctrials and tribulations\u201d) and see that there was a reason for it. Not that God caused it, but that God had a reason for not intervening to relieve it. In the meantime, sometimes God does intervene in response to prayer so we should pray often and for whoever comes to our mind because God asks us to do that; he wants our participation.<\/p>\n
I can honestly say that I have never doubted that message. That message has always made perfect, complete sense to me.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not criticizing Christians who struggle with doubt, but I will say that doubt (about God\u2019s existence and goodness and love) is not something to be embraced and called good or even the norm for Christian living.<\/p>\n
Now, as I said, healthy skepticism about messages about God is a good thing. And perhaps I have experienced too much of that in my life. I have heard and read so much nonsense from Christian preachers and writers and theologians that I tend to doubt what they say or write unless I find good reason to believe. People who know me well call me cynical because I am so suspicious of people who use their power and authority to manipulate me and others to \u201cbuy\u201d their \u201cnew ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now someone will ask me about \u201ccertainty.\u201d No, I prefer to use the words \u201ccertitude\u201d or proper confidence\u201d or even \u201cblessed assurance.\u201d I don\u2019t really claim to \u201chave\u201d certainty about anything. But neither do I struggle with doubt about God and his goodness and love. Not at all. Never have. Maybe that\u2019s a gift. I don\u2019t know. But it has made my life so much easier than otherwise. I thank God for it and wish it for everyone. I do believe that the Holy Spirit can dispel chronic doubt about God at any point in a Christian\u2019s life.<\/p>\n
*Note to commenters:<\/em> This blog is not a discussion board; please respond with a question or comment only to me. If you do not share my evangelical Christian perspective (very broadly defined), feel free to ask a question for clarification, but know that this is not a space for debating incommensurate perspectives\/worldviews. In any case, know that there is no guarantee that your question or comment will be posted by the moderator or answered by the writer. If you hope for your question or comment to appear here and be answered or responded to, make sure it is civil, respectful, and \u201con topic.\u201d Do not comment if you have not read the entire post and do not misrepresent what it says. Keep any comment (including questions) to minimal length; do not post essays, sermons or testimonies here. Do not post links to internet sites here. This is a space for expressions of the blogger\u2019s (or guest writers\u2019) opinions and constructive dialogue among evangelical Christians (very broadly defined).<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Should I Doubt God? Recently I made an admission\u2014to a group of fellow Christian believers\u2014that was met with some surprise, a little shock and perhaps some dismay. Here it is: I can honestly say that I have never doubted God. I mean that I have never doubted God\u2019s existence or God\u2019s goodness and love. Wait, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":58,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6885","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n