Doubting Thomas
This week’s devotional was written by Leslie Eichhorn, a team member at Nancy Hicks Live.
Have you ever been called a “Doubting Thomas?” The phrase usually refers to a skeptic who refuses to believe something without direct personal experience. The name refers to one of Jesus’ followers named Thomas.
I empathize with this poor guy (and his unfortunate nickname). In the Gospel of John, after Jesus’ resurrection, Thomas tells the other disciples (Jesus’ followers) after they claimed to have seen Jesus alive again that they must have seen a ghost, possibly even Jesus’ ghost, but not a fully resurrected Savior. Then Thomas declares: “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” John 20:25
I think it’s totally understandable for Thomas to react like this! He saw Jesus’ broken body come down from the cross, bloody and battered. He heard the wailing of women mourning his death. He smelled the spices that were scattered lovingly over Jesus’ body. He felt the ground rumble as the rock was rolled in front of the entrance. And why did Jesus appear to the other disciples but not him??
Frankly, I think Thomas had given up on Jesus. He had plenty of proof the man he thought would be a conquering king lay dead. He was not the Savior Thomas had followed for years. Thomas must have felt disappointed, disillusioned, misled, hurt, angry, jilted...and he doubted.
Luckily for Thomas, Jesus did NOT leave him lingering in his doubts. Eight days later, Jesus entered a room Thomas was in, even though the door was locked! He encouraged Thomas to put his fingers into his wounds. All of Thomas’ senses could feel, taste, smell, see, and hear Jesus. He was definitely NOT a ghost — and a fully resurrected Jesus asked Thomas to believe. And he did.
“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
Do not be discouraged when you doubt. This doesn’t mean you’re a “bad” Christian, that Jesus doesn’t love you, or that your faith isn’t strong or deep enough. Jesus shows Thomas He is willing to meet us wherever we are in our faith journey, but also challenges us to believe even in the midst of our unbelief. A doubting faith is STILL faith, and often faith grows stronger when doubt is overcome.
Give your questions and doubts over to God. Pray, and tell Him what your doubts are and don’t hold back. Be honest and humble, but not demanding — God will answer you in His time and in His way.
Remember the doubting father who asked Jesus to cast a spirit out of his son, “if he can.”
“And Jesus said to him, ‘if you can!’ All things are possible for those who believe.”
“Immediately, the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief.’” Mark 9:23-24. And Jesus did.