Unbelief is tenacious.  As soon as we grab it, it grabs us back.

In John 20, one truth becomes painfully clear:  Even the most faithful Jesus followers experience seasons of doubt.

After the group of disciples told Thomas they had seen the resurrected Jesus, he said,

Unless I shall see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe—John 20:25.

Here are 8 believable truths about doubt:

Doubt gets friendly.

Thomas lived with his unbelief for eight days.  While the earth was spinning and Thomas was doing life, doubt settled into his heart and got comfortable.

Even the most faithful Jesus followers can get comfortable with unbelief.  We can snuggle up to it, get friendly with it, and learn to live with it.

Doubt attacks.

Thomas had seen Jesus do incredible miracles, teach life-changing truth, and love him and the other disciples in a way that changed his life.  But after all of that, doubt went on the attack.

Jesus followers are never out of range.  No matter how big we have been with Jesus, we are vulnerable to the attack of unbelief.

Doubt makes sense.

Thomas wanted evidence.  That’s reasonable right.  Who wouldn’t?  Would the other disciples have believed without seeing?  I doubt it.

When we don’t understand our circumstances, when our expectations are not met, doubt, fear, and full-out unbelief seem so reasonable.

Doubt divides friends.

Despite the testimony of Thomas’ best friends, he would not believe.  And his unbelief just put him in a different place on his journey of faith.

When doubt dominates our lives, it will eventually separate friends and sabotage our ministry with those closest to us.

Doubt detours us.

Eight days doesn’t seem like a long time, but those were eight days lost to the joy and victory Jesus came to secure.

Unfortunately, many of us live in our doubt for much longer, and we don’t even know what it’s stealing from us.  We grow so used to the questions, so comfortable with the waffling, and so complacent about the mediocre results that we don’t even realize how far away from God’s purpose we have drifted.

Doubt doesn’t make sense.

Thomas knew Jesus and he knew his disciples.  The facts were on the side of truth, but the facts didn’t matter to Thomas.

Doubt doesn’t have to make sense for it to consume our lives, direct our decisions, and stall out our faith.

Doubt sneaks up.

History uses the word “doubting” to describe Thomas.  But we read earlier in John’s Gospel that he was ready to give his life to follow Jesus back to Bethany (near Jerusalem) to attend Lazarus’ funeral.

Although doubt doesn’t characterize us, it can have its day, week, month, or season.

Doubt runs away.

God is so gracious.  Jesus showed up and showed Himself to Thomas and said, “…be not unbelieving but believing.”  And Thomas responded, “My Lord and my God!”

When a doubting disciple refocuses on Jesus, unbelief turns to belief.  When we turn our attention to the person, work, and reality of Jesus, doubt disappears.

Thanks for joining me on this faith journey.  Your comments are always welcomed.