Most of us are quick to consider doubt a bad thing, and granted some doubts are. For instance, when Peter got out of the boat to walk on water to Jesus, he took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink. When he focused away from Jesus, doubt came into play. Jesus responded, “...O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). To worry about the storm and stop trusting fully in Jesus was obviously bad doubt. Also, when Jesus had risen from the dead and appeared to all but Thomas, the others told Thomas what they had seen and heard. Thomas said he would not believe it until he saw Jesus and put his fingers into the nail prints in His hands. Then Jesus came again while Thomas was there, and Thomas took a better stance on things. However, Jesus responded with this in John 20:29, “Jesus said to him, ‘Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.’” In these cases, doubt weakened faith.
Yet, we can also see in Scripture where some doubts cause people to act in faith. Remember the first definition of doubt is “to be uncertain about.” When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were about to be thrown into the fiery furnace, they doubted in that they were uncertain about their immediate future, but they said that they still would bow only to God (see Daniel 3:14-18). Even though there was uncertainty about the outcome, this doubt encouraged faith in God. Proverbs 25:2b says, “...it is the glory of kings to search out a matter.” Psalm 34:8a says, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good...” And in Malachi 3:10, God Himself says, “...And try Me now in this...” Search, taste, and try are all terms of uncertainty, terms of doubt that encourage one to act in faith. Therefore, do not doubt God in His abilities, but allow doubt to reassure your faith by seeking, tasting, and trying.
