Is Doubting a Sin? - Crosswalk the Devotional - April 8

Truths observed at the intersection of faith and life by Crosswalk.com editors [View this email in your browser]( [Crosswalk.com Home]( Is Doubting a Sin? - Crosswalk the Devotional - April 8 [Crosswalk the Devotional]( Is Doubting a Sin? by Debbie Holloway, Crosswalk.com Contributor And [Jesus] said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? ([Luke 24:38]( There’s no doubt about it: faith is a gift. To be more specific, faith is a gift… and not all of us are born with this gift. Many of us have been through trials and struggles that make blind faith and unwavering belief difficult, almost impossible. Have you ever been lied to by a trusted friend? Let down by a parent? Abused by someone who was meant to care for you? Chances are, the answer is yes. Chances are, doubting God is sometimes (or often) something with which you struggle. Many of us grow up hearing the refrain from James, “the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind” ([James 1:6](. Many of us are told over and over again that there is no room for doubt or skepticism in the Kingdom of God. But is that truly the message portrayed in Scripture? Should we really feel the sting of shame over asking questions and expressing hesitation? Jesus’ response to doubt was often, why? He proposed neither a condemnation nor an accolade, but a dialogue. Jesus cared about the hearts, motives, and fears of those who questioned him, who struggled with unbelief. Practically everyone to whom Jesus ministered expressed genuine doubt or asked provoking questions. But Jesus healed them anyway. Jesus answered their questions ([John 3:1](. Jesus told them things about themselves, causing them to look at life in a new way ([John 4:7](. When extraordinary faith was shown ([Luke 7:1]( Jesus was astounded and overjoyed. But he certainly did not condemn all others of lesser faith. He knew that it takes time for people to overcome cultures of fear and questions. God has big plans for us, plans to bless us richly through belief and faith. This is evidenced by what Jesus told Thomas: [Finish Reading Your Devotional Online >>]( [Share]( [Tweet]( [+1]( [Forward]( [Get Inspired >]( [Send an e-Card >]( [Watch Online >]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER --------------------------------------------------------------- This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. You received this email because your email address, {EMAIL}, is signed up to receive email from a Salem Web Network website. We respect and value your time and are committed to protecting your privacy. Use the links below to update your profile and subscriptions, unsubscribe from this email, or find out more about Salem Web Network (SWN). [Manage my Subscriptions]( | [Unsubscribe from this List]( | [Read about SWN]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Salem Web Network | Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. | 111 Virginia St., Suite 500, Richmond, VA 23219