This summer I am participating in Marla Taviano's Summer Read-A-Long. Each participant is reading Rachel Held Evans' book Evolving in Monkey Town. I picked up a copy of Rachel's book a year ago at a discount store and had every intention of reading it, but never did. Good thing, I guess. ;)
Anyway, this week the assignment was to read the preface and introduction to the book. Then we were to go to Marla's blog and answer some questions. If you want to know the questions and my answers, go find them in the comments.
I say that because what I really want to focus on in this post is the premise of Rachel's book - questioning. Some would say that anyone of faith who questions their faith is way out of line. That faith is some sort of blind acceptance. You know, faith is believing without seeing. So questioning one's faith means you don't have any faith at all. But is that really true?
My faith journey started as a young girl. I was only 10 when I started going to church regularly and when I heard about Jesus. It was at that same age that I accepted Him into my heart and began the nearly 25 year journey. As a young girl and young teen, I didn't question my faith. I accepted what the children's church teachers said and what my youth pastor and pastor taught.
The older I got, the more I loved to learn. I also loved to debate. It was natural for me to want to learn how to debate all sides of the argument. So I learned, researched, and questioned. I went through missionary training school in my 20s (having felt called as a 13 year old to be a missionary) and was exposed to many different ways of thinking in my faith. Then I went to college, and eventually earned my Masters degree. All along the way, I've questioned my faith. I've questioned others faith. I've wrestled with the existence of God, the problem of evil, and on and on and on. I still have questions. I still wrestle.
Like Rachel says in Evolving, "I had to take a closer look at what I believed and find out what was truly essential." In turn, my questioning hasn't led to doubt or disbelief. Instead, it's brought me closer to Jesus. And for that, I'm thankful.
Do you think it's okay to question your faith? Have you ever questioned your faith? If so, has it led to doubt & disbelief, or has it caused you to grow deeper in faith?
6 comments:
after having been raised in the baptist tradition, i went to a Presbyterian college. with every Bible class and chapel, i questioned why i believed what i believe. in some cases i changed my mind. in others, i found BIBLICAL evidence as to why my beliefs were well founded. in both cases its always brought me closer.
the older i get, the more there is in life to question.
is there really such a thing as faith if it hasn't been questioned?
Yes, faith is believing without seeing because if things could be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt...there'd be no need for faith. But is also a journey...sometimes we have to question before we can come to a conclusion of what we really believe. And we may question when going through difficult circumstances and draw conclusions that bring us closer to God or further away.
Brooke,
I think what you said is key when it comes to finding Biblical evidence for our beliefs. Questioning is OK, but ultimately we must rely on what God is/has said.
Ann,
"Is there really such a thing as faith if it hasn't been questioned?"
That's a good question!
Ladydiole,
It seems like there's more than one element of faith. There are times when God is asking us to step out in faith without knowing what the end result is going to be. At the same time, the idea that all faith is blind trust is not necessarily true. We must know why we believe something otherwise when difficult times come, that faith will not have a strong foundation and will come crashing down.
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