What do you do with doubt? There are moments we all have when we doubt the story or situation or scenario. Like the first time I spoke to my wife at the time clock in Wal-Mart in Conway, Arkansas. I doubted she would want to have anything to do with me but 31 years of marriage later, my doubts have been removed.
In Matthew 11, John the Baptist is in prison. He is related to Jesus. He grew up playing with Jesus, going to family reunions with Jesus and having sleep overs at Jesus’ house. John baptized Jesus and told his disciples that Jesus was the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world. John knew Jesus.
But in Matthew 11, John has a question, “Are you the Messiah?” As close as John and Jesus were, John had questions. It reminds me that even those close to Jesus have questions. People like you and me. We ask things like, “Why is there suffering in the world?”, “Why do evil men rise to power?”, and “Why do children die of starvation in Africa?” But realize, there is a difference between questioning God and asking God questions.
Job, the character in our Old Testament, had some questions for God about all the dark things happening in his life. Job lost everything he owned and his kids while being a very close follower and worshiper of God. Yet the text tells us that Job never sinned against God. We are reminded that when we bring questions to God, it strengthens our relationship with him.
On my best days as a disciple and pastor, I have questions. I don’t have it all figured out but that’s where this word “faith” comes in. I choose to trust God even though I don’t know the answers to “why”.
See, for most of us, hope and doubt exist side by side. But that space in between hope and doubt is where faith grows rampantly. When we are not sure why difficult things are happening in our life, we choose to trust God in spite of it all and our faith is strengthened.
We are reminded in Matthew 11, that while we are waiting, the Messiah is working. While John was waiting in prison, Jesus was working. What are you waiting on right now? Maybe a stronger marriage. You’re waiting on your spouse to enter the conversation so you can get back to where you used to be. Maybe you are waiting on the prolonged illness to end. Maybe you are waiting on your adult children to come back to Jesus.
But remember, between Malachi in our Old Testament and Jesus showing up in the Gospels, Israel had waited 400 years for the Messiah. John’s parents, Zachariah and Elizabeth had waited decades to have a child. John was waiting in prison for Jesus to reassure him he was the Messiah.
So in our own lives as we wait for desired outcomes, remember that just because God is silent doesn’t mean he is absent. Faith grows when we can’t see what God is doing. When we can’t hear his voice, it prompts me to lean in closer to hear his voice through his church, his Word and prayer.
Hope is the ability to keep hanging on so…in this difficult season, hang on. The Messiah is working while you are waiting. Jesus voice is calming you and reminding you, he is present and near. In this season of hope, hang on. Blessings on your journey.