doubting is good

In Frederick Buechner's Wishful Thinking--a Theological ABC, he writes this about doubt.

DOUBT
Whether your faith is there is a God or that there is ot a God, if you don't have any doubts you are either kidding yourself or asleep.
Doubts are the ants in our pants of faith. They keep it awake and moving.

So, whenever you have doubts, don't 'doubt' your faith--your faith is awake and moving and alive.

I am a world class doubter. I doubt almost every part of my faith. But it is still 'my faith'.

Faith is not 'certainty'--it is believing in the face of evidence to the contrary.

Hard to believe, in this world of woe, that God loves everyone.

Hard to believe in this world of gross and horrible inequality, that God loves us all equally.

Hard to believe in this world of war and conflict, that God intends 'peace' for all.

Lots of stuff is hard to believe. Doubt is real and realistic.

But doubt does keep your faith on it's toes--not kidding yourself or asleep.

Embrace your doubts and hold them close. They will keep you wide awake and honest with yourself.