Christian Doubt and Advice on Overcoming It
By: Antony Pinol
Tags: Christian Living, Spirituality, Christianity, Religion, Self

It’s hard for me to admit that I experience doubts about my faith, I feel the need to caveat this admission with the disclaimer that ninety-nine percent of the time I’m certain of the truth in what Jesus proclaims — but I would be lying. I struggle perpetually with conflicting thoughts about whether the life I have chosen is the right one for me. This conflict must stem from at least a partial sense of doubt in my Christian faith, my reluctance to admit as much is probably due to a sense of shame I feel for not being the self-assured Christian that I’d like to be.

Many people, Christian or otherwise, struggle with discerning whether the life they have is the life they want but I believe that Christians are particularly prone to feeling this way due to how our religious beliefs limit the degree of freedom we have in choosing the kind of life we want to live. We Christians are supposed to have already chosen to live our lives with Jesus’ teachings directing us, as such, I’m hardly going to become a ruthless stockbroker, stacking cash in a swish Armani suit, if I still want to legitimately call myself a Christian. To fully invest yourself in any kind of career as a Christian you must make constant efforts to not let your career-ambitions compromise your religious beliefs, something I have experienced in my efforts to become a ‘writer’.

In the face of this delicate balancing act and the difficulties it presents, it’s easy for a Christian to start looking upon their faith as a burden which it might just be easier to dispense of. As a doubting Christian you might start to look at other people you know who don’t have a faith and feel that they are living such an enviously care-free life, much like I do when I look at my old friends on Facebook, and you might start to wonder what life would be like if you weren’t a Christian, would it be easier for you? Would you be happier?

There is a definite propensity for a Christians to struggle with doubts about the life they have chosen and feel shame from feeling this way, I have spoken to countless other Christians who have told me as much, which is what lead me to write this article — so that other Christians who might be struggling similarly know they are not alone and that they shouldn’t feel ashamed.

Christians need to remember that there is real value in the life they have chosen even if this value is easily missed from a superficial glance. They might not be able to Instagram their Christian successes, but they are successes nonetheless — learning how to Love truly is no minor achievement.

If you are a Christian, be proud of your faith and don’t belittle the spiritual gifts that you’re faith has given you. When doubt confronts you, try to not compare your life to the lives of others — its never a fair comparison, because what you consider to be of value in life is often very different from what someone else considers so, particularly if they aren’t a Christian. My old school friends would probably balk at the thought of being a Caregiver but that’s understandable — they do not know that hidden treasures, the spiritual treasures, that the Christian faith has provided me with through the work I’m doing.

As a Christian, continually remind yourself of the spiritual gifts that your faith has given you in your own life. Cherish these gifts and turn to them in times of doubt to give you the reassurance you need so that, together with Paul, when the final curtain draws on your life you can confidently claim “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4: 7)