When Faith Wavers
Reading: John 20:24–29
Thomas, often called the “Doubter,” is perhaps the most relatable of the disciples. When he heard Jesus had risen, he wanted proof—he wanted to see and touch the scars. He wasn’t content with secondhand faith. But Thomas wasn’t faithless; he was wounded. The grief of watching his Teacher suffer and die may have caused him to pull back from the fellowship of believers. Haven’t we all, at times, struggled to believe because of sorrow, loss, or silence from God?
Yet Jesus doesn’t scold Thomas for his doubts. A week later, Jesus comes again—just for Thomas. He meets Thomas where he is, offering His hands, His side, and His peace. And Thomas, in one of the most powerful confessions of faith in Scripture, exclaims, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). His doubt was transformed not by argument, but by presence—by the personal encounter with the risen Christ.
Jesus then says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (v. 29). That’s us. We believe through the witness of Scripture, through the Spirit’s whisper, through the testimony of those around us, and sometimes through our own wrestling. St. Anselm called this “faith seeking understanding”—a love that longs to know more of God. God does not despise our doubts; He invites us to bring them to Him in prayer and community.
Faith is not the absence of questions—it’s the courage to trust in the presence of God even when answers are not clear. As C.S. Lewis said, God often shatters our false ideas of Him to reveal the truth. Like Thomas, we may find that in the deepest doubts, Christ still comes—bearing scars, offering peace, and calling us to believe.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, just as you met Thomas in his doubt, meet us in ours. When we cannot see, help us to trust. When we falter, strengthen our faith. Shine your light into our darkness and lead us to declare, “My Lord and my God.” Amen.
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