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Chapter 12—What to Do With Doubt
Many people are tempted to doubt that the Bible is God’s Word
because they do not understand and cannot explain parts of the Bible.
This is often true of those who have been Christians for only a short
time. Satan tries to shake their faith in the Bible as God’s message
to us. These people ask, “How shall I know the right way? If the
Bible is truly the Word of God, how can I become free of doubt?”
God always gives us facts and reasons before He asks us to
believe. We know He lives because He is the Creator. He shows us
His character by what He does for us. We know His Word is true
because things have happened the way He said they would.
Yet God does not make it impossible for us to doubt. Our faith
must rest on good reasons, not on absolute proof. Those who wish
to doubt may do so. But people who really desire to know the truth
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will find good reasons to believe. They can rest their faith on the
Word of God.
It is impossible for our minds to understand fully the character or
the works of God. Even the brightest, best educated people cannot
fully understand such a Holy Being. He will always be a mystery.
Job said, “Can you discover the limits and bounds of the greatness
and power of God? The sky is no limit for God, but it lies beyond
your reach. God knows the world of the dead, but you do not know
it.”
Job 11:7, 8
.
The apostle Paul wrote, “How great are God’s riches! How deep
are his wisdom and knowledge! Who can explain his decisions?
Who can understand his ways? As the scripture says, ‘Who knows
the mind of the Lord? Who is able to give him advice?’”
Romans
11:33
. Even though “clouds and darkness surround him; he rules
with righteousness and justice.”
Psalm 97:2
.
As we see how God deals with us and try to understand why He
has led us the way He has, we can know that He is a God of love,
mercy, and power. We can understand only as much of why He does
some things as is good for us to know. We must trust His loving
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