“Dealing with Doubts” (Part One)

A church in our city held what they called “Doubts Night.” People who had doubts about the validity of Christianity, concerns about their own faith, or struggles with hard passages were invited to attend. The meeting was well attended and lengthy.

No matter your opinion about the value of offering such a meeting, we are surrounded by people who struggle with honest questions. How can we help them? The importance of dealing with their questions is accentuated by recalling the opening pages in Genesis where the devil raises doubts in the heart of Eve by cleverly asking, “Has God indeed said . . . ?” (Genesis 3:1).

With a multitude of tasks in our pastoral job description, how can we find time to help people with doubting hearts, who have honest questions and struggles? And if we carve out the time, where can we find biblical help? I found help by turning to the story of Joseph.

• The issue: Many cannot accept the truth that Jesus really has forgiven their sins. The 10 brothers of Joseph sold him into Egyptian slavery and then lied about their brother to Jacob. For 22 years they sat on the truth until famine forced them to confront it. Joseph, providentially, is the second-in-command in Egypt and thus saves his family from starvation. When he reveals his identity, he invites his extended family of 70 to live in Goshen. The story closes in Genesis 50, with the funeral and burial of Jacob in Hebron. But after the funeral, doubts that their sins are really forgiven arise among the “band of brothers.”

• Joseph’s initial response—tears (50:17). “Joseph wept when they spoke to him.” After 17 years of kind words and deeds, Joseph shed tears at the thought that they still doubted the grace that was showered on them daily. I am not suggesting that we weep in the counseling room, but rather that we see the depth of guilt that some in our church family are experiencing. And if we can be used of God to bring relief, a new freedom awaits and a great burden has been lifted.

We will uncover additional help from the story of Joseph in our next blog.