These have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold which perishes even though refined by fire may prove genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 1 v 7 (Life Application Study Bible)
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
Romans 10 v 17 (NIV)
There is a time in all our walks with God when we doubt our faith. No one should worry if they have doubts about their faith, we should confront our doubts and not allow them to harden. Doubts are not a sin. What destroys faith is our unwillingness to confront our doubts.
Doubts are a common experience of most Christians. Firstly, we must accept that we are ‘fallen’ people; doubts will arise and are not a sign that we do not have faith. Secondly, we acknowledge that Satan is a tempter who capitalised on our doubts and tempts us into unbelief. Thirdly, it takes time to overcome doubts and this is why perseverance is a quality that every Christian must cultivate.
It was once said many years ago Christians can be haunted by doubts and find that they can grow in faith because of them. We should pray over them, asking God's help and use them as a stepping-stone to a deeper faith. Just as a bone becomes stronger after it has been broken, so as we pray over our doubts and find ourselves becoming stronger at the broken places.
Finally, when we bring our doubts to God's word (the Bible), God, through His Holy Spirit, can provide us with valuable truths.
Written by Arnold Pollitt