"I Have My Doubts" (Philip Ryken)

TITLE: I Have My Doubts: How God Can Use Your Uncertainty to Reawaken Your Faith
AUTHOR: Philip Ryken
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2024, (192 pages).
 

Faith and doubt are part and parcel of what it means to be human. Honest doubt can lead to deeper insights about Truth. Sarcasm or superficial faith can lead one away from Truth. In a world that is infatuated with certainty, doubts can sometimes be perceived negatively. Humanly speaking, doubt gives us a weirdness that cannot be easily dispensed with. Instead of letting doubt scrape away our layers of faith, why not let these doubts point us to deeper levels of faith and understanding? The central message in this book is to "retain the courage of one's doubts as well as one's convictions." Using ten challenging stories from the Bible that deal with the interplays of faith and doubt, author-professor Philip Ryken shows us to be bold with our doubts and how we can grow in our faith. The ten stories cover several pertinent concerns about Christian living and faith. They cover topics like:

• Is the Bible really true?
• Given all the problems happening in this world, is God really good?
• Can I really do the will and mission of God?
• Can God really protect me?
• Is God really as generous as people say He is?
• How fair is God, really?
• Is God truly loving and caring?
• Can God heal?
• Did Jesus truly rise again and if so, will believers also rise with Him?

Using stories from contemporary times together with biblical characters, Ryken points out how in spite of these doubts, reasons for faith far outweighs those on doubt. From the story of Eve questioning God's Word, he makes a fair distinction between dishonest doubts and honest questioning. The former has disobedience in mind while the latter looks for reasons to believe. On the biblical story of Sarah, Ryken looks at how people can doubt God's promises when circumstances go south. Rather than remembering Sarah's doubts in perpetuity, we are reminded to understand the "prequel and the sequel" of Sarah's faith. On the topic of mission and God's calling, we read about Moses whose real doubt is not about God's inability to fulfill but his own focus on himself. Elisha's servant at Dothan allowed doubt to degenerate into fear. In contrast, Elisha was the opposite, and his level of trust and confidence in God helped diffuse the situation. The story of Naomi is a wonderful example of God's abundant blessing amid trial and tribulation. Even Asaph the psalmist has his fair share of doubting. These and many more demonstrate that doubts are part and parcel of daily living. The key is to take God's Word as is and let God speak to our questions. As long as we are honest, God will answer us. Ryken ends with a concluding chapter about doubting our doubts. This calls for spiritual discernment as not all our doubts deserve prolonged validation. 

My Thoughts

First, we should not be afraid to doubt. Many professors and teachers have claimed that there is no such thing as a stupid question. The purpose is to encourage the meek to ask questions and not be afraid to speak up. As long as we are honest about wanting to learn and seek the Truth, we should turn doubts into opportunities to learn more about God. The main thing to distinguish is the question behind the question. Why are we doubting it in the first place? If it is a desire to seek the Truth and to answer our deepest questions, then ask. However, if our doubts are intentional barriers against faith, or malicious skepticism to push us further from God, or mischievous tactics to justify our disobedience, then we should doubt our doubts. Doubting is natural for we have all inherited the sin that began with Adam and Eve. Rather than to let this be the final say, look to Jesus as the final arbiter of all Truth. If we dare to take up the questioning mantle from Adam and Eve, we should also learn to accept the humble posture of Jesus who was persecuted. Be honest in our questions. Be fair with our probing. Be faithful in learning to wait for divine answers.

Second, this book reminds us what it means to be human. We are reminded that Bible characters are ordinary people like you and me. Sometimes when we read the Bible, we tend to elevate certain Bible characters to superstardom, as if they were perfect. Some do character studies. Others lift these characters up as models for us to emulate. Common examples are characters like Abraham, Joseph, David, Peter, Paul, Timothy, etc. Instead of treating them as super-spiritual people, it is wise to remember that they are flawed individuals who were blessed by God not because they did well but because of God's mercy. In many Bible characters, one common trait is their moments of doubt. In that sense, they are ordinary people like you and me. 

Third, when things hit an impasse, learn Anselm's use of "fides quaerens intellectum" (aka "faith seeking understanding"). When Jesus tells us that blessed are those who believe without seeing, he is pointing to a deeper level of belief that can only come when we let faith, not doubt lead the way. The logic is simple. If God is truly God, then we need to let faith in Him lead us more. If we allow doubt to dictate our every move and action, then we are letting human wisdom take control. We cannot let doubts derail our faith journey. In Christian spirituality, doubts can sharpen and shape us positively. There will come a point where we need to draw the line and let faith guide us in seeking further enlightenment. I remember one evangelist saying that those who can reason themselves into faith, can also reason themselves out of the faith. 

For anyone who has been troubled by doubts and want to learn how to deal with it, this book is for you.

Philip Graham Ryken (DPhil, University of Oxford) is the eighth president of Wheaton College. He preached at Philadelphia’s Tenth Presbyterian Church from 1995 until his appointment at Wheaton in 2010. Ryken has published more than fifty books, including When Trouble Comes and expository commentaries on Exodus, Ecclesiastes, and Jeremiah. He serves as a board member for the Gospel Coalition and the Lausanne Movement.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Crossway Publishers via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.