Worship and Doubt

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Matthew 28:16-17

 What is the relationship between faith and doubt?  Is there a difference between having beliefs and having faith? Is it possible to worship God when you have doubts about what you believe? 

These are important faith questions that people often wrestle with.  When I was in college I had very serious doubts about God and what I believed.  Yet, I would find myself going to worship on a somewhat regular basis.  I felt compelled to be there, yet while I was there, I felt very conflicted. I could not recite the Lord’s Prayer or creed, and I could not bring myself to sing the words of the hymns. I had doubts and yet there I was in worship.  God was working in my life despite my doubts and questions.

When the disciples met the resurrected Jesus, they had doubts. The original Greek can actually be translated as “they worshipped and doubted.”  Rather than suggesting that some of the eleven worshipped and some doubted, the text implies that worship and doubt can fit together. It is only when we equate faith with belief that doubt becomes the enemy of faith.  Faith can be understood as distinct from belief when we see faith not as the absence of doubt or certainty, but trust in God.  I may not have all the answers or right beliefs about God, but I can have a deep and abiding trust in God.  Simply put, faith is a heart condition while belief is about the head.  While it is important to have beliefs and be able to articulate what we believe, ultimately believing the right things about God is quite different from having a relationship with God.

Life brings challenges and circumstances that can often shake the foundations of what we believe.  As people move through illness, suffering, and loss it is not uncommon to encounter doubts and questions.  Yet in the midst of our questions we can still have faith, we can still hold tightly to the presence and promises of God.  Yes, worship and doubt can and often do fit together and we should cultivate an open environment which lets those of who have trouble saying the words to worship and doubt.