Lessons From "Doubting" Thomas
Doubting Thomas was one of Jesus’ disciples. He is put in that box of "doubter" throughout history for one thing: doubting Jesus' resurrection. Yet, we can learn much from Thomas' life and ministry.
The first time we meet Thomas, Jesus had just explained to the disciples that He was glad they didn't go to Lazarus before he died, so they would believe in Him. Then comes Thomas' response:
"So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with him." -John 11:16, ESV
The disciples were afraid to go to Bethany, because the Jews were seeking to kill Jesus. This is a normal fear! If there was a high probability that you would be killed by going to a particular place, you would avoid that place, right? That's what the disciples were saying too. Thomas then declares that he's going with Jesus, even though he expected to die as a consequence.
All of the disciples were questioning Jesus for wanting to go to Bethany, but Thomas was not one of them.
It appears that Thomas did not start out a doubting man. He showed an incredible amount of loyalty and trust in Jesus in John 11. He didn't ask what Jesus' plan was once they got there. He didn't follow the crowd (aka his fellow disciples) when they questioned Jesus for wanting to go there. He just followed. More than that, he followed Jesus, trusted Jesus with his entire life, and encouraged his doubting friends to do the same!
We should be like Thomas in this way: on board for anything Christ sends us to do and anywhere He tells us to go. Plus, pull your doubting or non-believing friends along for the ride! When they have an up-close view of what God is doing in your life, their lives and view of God could drastically change! For example, Thomas' friends got to see Lazarus raised from the dead, because Thomas encouraged them to follow Jesus with him. What will your friends see?
The next time we see Thomas is in John 14:5 -
" 'Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, that where I am there you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.'
Thomas said to him, 'Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?'
Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.' " -John 14:1-7, ESV
Thomas' questions here are not questions of doubt but of lack of understanding. He's asking follow-up questions. This is also normal. It's okay to say you don't understand everything in God's Word. Biblical scholars can't agree on what different passages mean, and they've been studying it intensely their entire adult lives!
When we study the Bible and don't understand something, the first and best thing to do is to pray for understanding. Ask God like Thomas did. He had Jesus in the flesh standing in front of him to ask questions to, but we have the Holy Spirit inside of us to illuminate Scripture for us!
In John 14:26, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit "will teach [Christians] all things and will remind [Christians] of everything I have said to you.” When you have a lack of understanding, pray and ask the Spirit to teach you and illuminate that which you don't understand.
So far, Thomas has done nothing but show his loyalty and trust in Jesus and ask follow-up questions when he didn't fully understand what Jesus was saying. But wait...there's more.
" Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 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.
Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you.'
Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here and see my hands; and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve but believe.' Thomas answered him, 'My Lord and my God!'
Jesus said to him, 'Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.' " -John 20:24-29, ESV
This is where he gets the name "Doubting Thomas". So what changed in him? He saw so many miracles, experienced Jesus' teachings face-to-face, and yet doubted. It crushes me to read of this man who followed after God so wholeheartedly say the words in verse 25, "I will never believe." He wanted proof.
From what we have seen about his character so far, Thomas is not a person to angrily question God, but his questions come from a place of wanting to understand and believe. How does God respond to Thomas' doubting this time? He meets Thomas where he's at. He does exactly what was necessary for Thomas to believe! Pay attention to how Thomas reacts to Jesus: he confesses that Jesus is his Lord and God!
Everyone has questions and doubts from time to time. That's a part of life on earth. We have to realize though that those doubts are not of God. He wants to assuage your doubts and meet with you wherever you're at in your walk with Him.
Doubts come from the Enemy. He knows that if he can make you doubt God, he can slowly but surely move you away from God. If you're passionate about following after God, you are who he's going after.
How do you beat the Enemy? You have to know your weapons (Ephesians 6:11-18)! Call out those doubts and lies the Enemy is telling you, and replace them with truth from Scripture. Pray. Call a mentor that can refocus you back on God's Word and who He is.
We're in the midst of a battle, and doubt is one of the Enemy's weapons. Stand up, and fight back with the tools God has already given you.
Have you ever experienced doubt? How can you be better at ridding yourself of that doubt?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lacey Rae moved to Mt. Zion, Georgia after graduating from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2018 with a Master's degree in Biblical Counseling. Her passion is biblically counseling young women to help them grow closer to Christ with her blog, Building Lois Ministries . During the Fall, she avidly cheers on the Georgia Bulldogs as an aluma. She loves attempting to bake, bingeing showing on Netflix and Disney+, and elephants.