4th June 2026
From doubt to declaration
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:29 (ESV)
Do we ever have doubts or uncertainties about our Christian faith? Times when we find it hard to trust God or discern his will in our lives? Even moments when we question what we believe and whether it is really true? If we’re honest, all Christians probably have these thoughts from time to time, and in these times of doubt, the passage in John 20 about ‘doubting’ Thomas gives us cause for hope.
Thomas, a natural cynic who wanted to see the evidence, missed seeing Jesus’s first appearance to the disciples after his resurrection (John 20:24), and found it hard to believe. ‘So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “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” ’ (v.25). And to be fair to Thomas, if we’d seen someone die and be placed in a tomb, and then if someone told us they’d seen them alive again we’d probably be sceptical too. ‘I’ll believe it when I see it’ is a common reaction.
Interestingly, Jesus’s response was to fulfil Thomas’s request when he visited the disciples again about a week later. Without judging or condemning Thomas, Jesus said, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side…” (v.27). Jesus understood Thomas’s doubts, and met him where he was. And just as Jesus understood Thomas’s natural human hesitation, he understands our doubts and uncertainties too, and meets us where we are in his grace and love.
But it didn’t end there. Jesus went on to say, “Do not disbelieve, but believe” (v.27). Jesus meets us in our doubts, but he doesn’t want us to stay in them. For Thomas, what Jesus did had a powerful effect. All the doubts fell away, and were replaced with a profound confession of faith: ‘Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ’ (v.28). Not only did Thomas now believe Jesus was raised from the dead and was alive again, but he also realised what that meant about who Jesus was, as the Son of God. Thomas acknowledged Jesus personally as his Lord and God. In just a few moments, he had journeyed from doubt to deep and sincere faith.
We can trust that Jesus is with us in our doubts too. But just like Thomas, he doesn’t want us to remain in them. As Jesus works in our lives, we too can come to believe more deeply that he is our Lord and our God!
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you that you meet us in our doubts with patience, grace, and love. When our faith feels uncertain and our hearts are troubled, help us to remember that you are near, and that you understand our struggles. Strengthen our belief when it is weak, and guide us gently from doubt into deeper trust in you. In your name we pray, Amen.
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Study by: Simon Williams About the author: |
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Local congregation:
Grace Communion Peterborough
Farcet Village Hall
Main Street
Farcet
Peterborough
PE7 3AN
Meeting time:
Sunday 11.00 am
Local congregational contact:
Richard Dempsey
Email: richard.dempsey@btinternet.com
Local church website: GRACE COMMUNION CHURCH PETERBOROUGH – Landing Page
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church