Reasonable DoubtNäide

Can you talk about doubt in the bible and not bring up Thomas? Thomas is like the poster child of doubt in the bible, so much so that we recognize Thomas as “Doubting Thomas.” But let’s look at why we call him that and see if it validly characterizes Thomas.

The story goes like this: Jesus has been crucified and buried now 3 days when Mary Magdalene visits His tomb, and Jesus appears to her, and she goes back to tell the disciples that she has seen the risen Savior. On the same day, Jesus appears to the disciples and shows them His nail-pierced hands and His side. But the bible says that Thomas was not there when Jesus came.

So when the disciples told Thomas that they had seen Jesus, His response was, “Unless I see His hands and put my finger into the print, I will not believe.” This was one of the first examples of “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Let’s pause for a second. Thomas, who saw His savior crucified and taken to the tomb, had a hard time believing that Jesus appeared to the rest of the disciples. Can you blame Thomas for doubting? His struggle is so relatable, isn't it?

But here is the amazing thing about Jesus. He shows up again after eight days and tells Thomas to put his finger in His hand and side. Jesus wasn’t there when Thomas told the disciples what he needed to believe them, yet somehow Jesus fulfilled his request so that Thomas may believe! Through this experience, Thomas no longer doubted but had his own personal encounter. This encounter transformed Thomas's doubt into unwavering faith, a testament to the power of personal encounters with God.

If we are honest, that is all we are asking for in the presence of doubt…a personal encounter with God. We want to know that God hears and sees us, and just like He did it for Thomas, I believe that He will do it for you. God is not distant or indifferent to our doubts; He is responsive and comforting, always ready to provide the personal encounters we seek.