Lost in the Storm

John 20:26-27  After eight days his disciples were again in a house and Thomas was with them.  Even though the doors were locked, Jesus entered and stood among them.  He said, “Peace be with you.”  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here.  Look at my hands.  Put your hand into my side.  No more disbelief.  Believe!”

It’s so easy to question something that’s not right there in front of us – or a concept that’s new.  I can remember a time that unless you could show me that it was going to work, I didn’t believe you – and in fact, even if I saw it working, I questioned if there wasn’t some gimmick powering it behind the scenes.  I’ve been told I had a bad attitude or that I was a doubting Thomas.

If this is you at any level, the idea of faith in God is a concept that’s harder to grab a hold of than a wet bar of soap in a hurricane.  Each time you mind begins to settle in around and embrace it, it pops up and the wind blows it down the path a bit further.  This has been something I’ve struggled with for a great deal of my adult life.

As I read the passage from John, I realize that I’m not the only one that has experienced this (oh, I knew it before reading that – there are very few of us, if any, who haven’t had a doubt at one point or another).  Thomas was around for some amazing God moments, yet he still doubted the power of God through Jesus Christ.

Earlier, I used the analogy of grabbing a bar of soap in a hurricane.   If you think about some of the difficult times you’ve gone through, it could be said they were like storms blowing through your life and the soap is your faith.  If we don’t focus on keeping a hold of our faith in the worst of storms, it’ll just pop right out of our hands and be caught by the storm.  “Father, I am so weak at times and I doubt You.  In those times of weakness, give me courage and strength to life my eyes to You and believe. Amen”