I Am Weak, He Is Strong.

Doubt. It seems like everyone thinks that is such a bad word when it comes to God, yet we all doubt at one time or another. Many of us doubt that God could ever forgive us for all of our mess ups. Many of us doubt the very existence of God in the first place. Many of us doubt ourselves and our abilities to follow God like we should even if God COULD ever forgive us. Do you know there is light at the end of the tunnel in all this thinking though? God is merciful to doubters like us.  He understands, and His grace abounds if we only let go and let Him in to do what only He can. Do you ever notice how merciful God is to us about our lack of faith? 


It always has kind if rubbed me the wrong way when people talk about "Doubting Thomas" in a derogatory manner. I mean, don't we all doubt like him? I know I do. All the time I pray things like "God, please just let me hear through the baby monitor my daughter breathing so I can be assured she is okay." I do this even though I know that God tells me not to worry, because by doing so I cannot add one hour onto her life (paraphrasing Matthew 6:27). I pray that "little faith" prayer, and, I hear my baby take a deep breath. 


Look at how Jesus handled Thomas's "little" faith:

24 Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”  John 20:24-29 ESV

Isn't it awesome that Jesus was willing to meet Thomas where he was in his struggle to believe? Jesus accommodated Thomas' doubting request, and gently chided him to believe. We obviously do not have Thomas's advantage here, but Jesus knows this and comforts us by saying that those who believe what they have not seen will be blessed.

God does the same thing with Moses in Exodus 4. In this story, God appears to Moses in a burning bush, telling him to go back to Egypt and demand the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go so they can find a new land for themselves and not be slaves anymore. Moses is doubtful and argues with God that the people won't believe that God appeared to him. God then gives him several miraculous signs that he can show the people so they will believe. After that, Moses continues to doubt himself and God by telling God that he cannot speak well enough to communicate with these people. God then tells him He will give him the words to say, but Moses still isn't convinced. Finally, God, obviously getting a little peeved at this point,  says that he will let Moses' brother Aaron speak for him. 

Yet another Bible story that reiterates this point is the story about Gideon, an Israelite warrior called by God to defeat the Midianites. Gideon doubts God and himself and asks for a sign. He tells the Lord that he will put a piece of wool on the ground, and if God will make the wool wet with dew in the morning and the ground dry, that he will believe Him. God obliges and gives him the sign he is looking for. Gideon still does not believe and asks God for another sign, this time to keep the wool dry and make the ground wet with dew.  The Lord shows Him the sign he asks for again (Judge 6:36-40).

You see, I think our doubting saddens God, but if we are willing to let him work in our lives, he is merciful to us. He knows all to well that we are but imperfect humans, and he is willing to meet us where we are if we are willing to seek Him.  James 4:8 says "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." He has it all together; we don't. We are weak, but praise God our heavenly Father, HE is STRONG.