On DOUBT

I think one thing every person struggles with in life is doubt. Everyone encounters doubt with everything, think about it. When making decisions, we ask ourselves “is this right,” or something similar, well that simple act is proof that doubt is at some point unavoidable. Yes we cannot avoid doubt. I say that is a good thing, I say it is a good thing that you doubt. If you are wise, you should be saying right now, “but didn’t Jesus chastise those of little faith, didn’t Thomas the doubter get rebuked for his doubt?” Here it is important for us to look at doubt.

Most would say that doubt is a lack of faith, which is not entirely wrong but there is more to doubt. Doubt is like temptation, it is unavoidable, and natural to humanity. Doubt is a questioning, an inquisitiveness.  Like temptation, doubt will present itself often, and like temptation doubt is not wrong or bad in itself. It is a part of the human condition. According to the Catechism, doubt as a word can refer “to hesitation in believing, difficulty in overcoming objections connected with the faith, or also anxiety aroused by its obscurity” (CCC 2088). That inclination in itself is not a fault, it is absolutely natural. The catechism calls that involuntary doubt. There is also voluntary doubt, which “disregards or refuses to hold as true what God has revealed and the Church proposes for belief” (CCC 2088). This form of doubt is a free choice, it is a denial of the reveled will of God, and therefore it is sin. Doubt is also thus a form of temptation because it can lead to sin, but still it provides us with the opportunity to conquer Satan.

So when encountering doubt, before getting discouraged, ask yourself this, “do I want to believe”, this is not the same as “do I want that which goes along with belief”. If the answer is yes to the first question, then you are encountering a natural struggle with the awe inspiring reality of God and that is OK. Really do not get down on yourself, and odds are if you are reading this the answer is ‘yes’. Now, with that yes will come the difficult and rewarding consequences of that choice, but that is part of the natural doubt and fear you must overcome. The choice not to pursue the faith, the ability to believe, is voluntary doubt, and at that you must question yourself. Though you may be struggling to pray, or act with grace, though you may be struggling with sin and involuntary doubt you are not condemned! If you desire to do better, or if you ever felt inclined to get down on yourself, that means you are doing something right, you are learning! Now stop getting down on yourself, recognize your inevitable struggles with your own imperfection as a consequence of the human condition as result of original sin and get up off the floor and pursue faith! That is all. If you want faith, you will get it, it may not be now, but it will be! Faith awaits those who have the courage to seek it.

I leave you with this: doubt is a hurdle we must all encounter. Some would say if you don’t climb that hurdle immediately after encountering it then you fail. That is wrong, the only failure is to relinquish the obstacle and turn around, or stand still. As long as you are in search of truth, you are in search of the Eternal Good that is God. You will overcome all doubt if you try. Seek to overcome doubt, and you seek faith. Seek faith, seek God.

 If you have a question on doubt, please ask me… feel free to shoot me an email.

 God Love you

AMDG
Peter James d`Aqunio