Is it OK to doubt God?

Yes, it is OK to doubt God. Thomas refused to believe the other disciples until he saw Jesus for himself, and Jesus came back for him anyway. Doubt can push you to seek God in new ways. I preached on this in our EMBRACE series, and you can watch the full sermon here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTSUNp8Ko5s.

Why do so many of us doubt?

Most of us live in doubt every day. Tell someone a sports trade is about to happen and they will look it up before they believe you. We double and triple check what we read and what people tell us. The world has taught us that not everything we hear is true, and I think that caution makes sense. The church has struggled to know what to do with doubt. We act as if faithful people never question God.

Have you ever doubted God?

I have, and after I was ordained too. Maybe you have stayed up at night with tears in your eyes, asking God why you are in this spot after you prayed and did everything he asked. That is real. Someone once described faith to me as believing 51 percent. Some of us wear ourselves out trying to reach 100 percent, when God is asking us to hold on to 51. We need to drop the pretending and be honest with each other about our doubts.

Can doubt be healthy?

Yes. My doubt pushes me to seek God's face in new ways and to ask him to show me something different. As I said that Sunday, "doubt is not a deterrent it's a growth agent." God has shown me more in my moments of doubt than I ever expected.

How did Jesus treat Thomas?

Jesus made room for him. The other disciples told Thomas for eight days that Jesus was alive, and he would not believe them. Still, "his disbelief didn't disqualify him." Nobody put him out. Jesus came back to the room and made space for the one who doubted. How many people do we push aside because they don't believe exactly what we believe, or say it the way we say it? In the church, our first move should be grace.

What does it mean to embrace someone?

It means doing what God does with us. Dr. Kim Reisman gave us a simple picture of it: "we open our arms we wait the person comes in we hug them and then we let them go." Jesus opened his arms to Thomas. Then he waited, inviting Thomas to reach out and touch the wounds. God will not force you. He is waiting for you to take a next step. For some of you that step is more time in prayer. For others it is joining a small group or finding community. If your routine has not changed in years, it may be time for a change.

Where does God's peace show up?

For me, it rarely shows up in church. It comes in my car, or in the middle of the night when I can't sleep because life is hard. When I lean into God there, he gives me a peace that feels like chains falling off. I used to run a company, and my wife hated vacationing with me because I would not put down my BlackBerry. God taught me I could let go. No spa or vacation gives that kind of peace.

What happens after God embraces you?

He lets you go into the world, and your life becomes how other people see him. Some of you have prayed for years for a family member or coworker to see God. How you carry yourself in hard times and how you love your family when no one is watching both show them God. If you are doubting today, I want to free you from the guilt. God can grow you in this season.

Come worship with us Sundays at 10 AM PT at 3549 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94306, or join us live at youtube.com/@uamez. Watch the full sermon at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTSUNp8Ko5s and plan your visit at uamez.com.