“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
John 15:4 (NIV)
The road of doubt always begins with questions, but the questions are different for all of us. Is God real? Was Jesus really his son? Is God trustworthy? How can he be when there is so much suffering everywhere I turn?
Asking these questions is good and necessary. It’s what makes your faith your own, rather than faith simply being what someone else passed down to you. During my season of doubt, I asked God question after question. I shook my fist at him demanding answers. I got some. I didn’t get others.
At the time, this bothered me. I wanted my faith to be wrapped up nicely with a tight bow. However, as I continue to live this Christian life, I am, ever so slowly, coming to realize that being a follower of Christ is not so much about asking questions and getting answers as it is about growing in our relationship with God.
You see, God has given us something better than the answers to all of our what, when, where, and why questions. He has given us his very self. Immanuel. In the form of Jesus, God came near to us and in the form of the Holy Spirit, he stayed.
This is what I am learning now. There will always be doubts and there will always be questions, but there will also always be the presence of Christ. May I want him more than I want the answers.
Reflect:
Read Jesus’ words in John 15:4. What does it mean to remain or abide in Christ? What would it look like for you to live in the tension of unanswered questions while still abiding in him?
Pray:
Thank God for his faithful presence. Spend time in quiet listening, focusing on God’s presence with you.
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