Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The writer of Hebrews devotes all of chapter 11 to talking about faith. He writes about the amazing things many heroes of the faith did because they believed; it’s basically a who’s who of believers, a faith hall of fame.
And as I read this, I am reminded that I would never be listed here. You see, faith is not really my strong suit. Even the wording of this verse from Hebrews, believing in the things we hope for but cannot see, makes me squirm a bit. Sure, I believe in Jesus with all my heart, but if I’m being honest, throughout my faith journey I have still struggled with doubt, struggled with believing in the things I hope for but do not see.
Maybe you have a rock-solid faith that cannot be shaken, but I think for many of us, events in our lives can make us question a bit. When something terrible happens to a friend or family member, it sometimes gets a little harder to believe. When our prayers go unanswered (and feel like maybe unheard), it’s sometimes harder to find faith. When our hearts are broken or grieving or jaded, faith may be tough.
But here’s the good news in all of this: God is not the least bit surprised by our doubt. Not only that, He’s already responded to it. That’s the beauty of this advent season. The God of the universe knew that it would be hard to believe in an unseen God, so He strapped on human flesh and came down to Earth so that we might believe. He humbled Himself and came as a baby for me, for you, for all of us, so that we could believe in Him.
One of Jesus’ disciples Thomas struggled with doubt too. So much so, that when the disciples told Him that Jesus had risen from the dead, he said he would only believe if he could touch His wounds from the cross. When Jesus saw Thomas, He immediately invited him over to put his hands on His wounds and commanded Thomas to believe. It’s important to note that Jesus didn’t rebuke Thomas for his doubt. Instead, He helped give Him tangible proof, so he could believe.
That’s what God did for us. By taking on human form and being born to the virgin Mary, He offered doubters like me a lifeline to belief. One of the names of Jesus is Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” As you go through today, give thanks for the gift of His Son, who is God with us, and look for evidence of Him. This may be in His creation or someone offering grace or kindness to you or even in an opportunity to serve someone else. He has come to help our unbelief. Look for Him today.
Tobi McMillan
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