Doubt

I'm reading this book right now:

and only about half way through, so no where near close to finishing it. But I've come across a few quotes that I felt deserved to be highlighted. 

And dog tabbed. 

And one in particular that deserved it's own blog post. 

If Christ played with doubt, so must we. 

If Christ spent an anguished night in prayer, 

if He burst out from the Cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

then surely we are also permitted doubt. 

But we must move on. 

To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility

as a means of transportation. 

Bam. 

So, so good. 

I feel like I have tried to portray this so many times, and this quote just sums it up perfectly. 

It's okay to doubt. 

It's okay to be confused. To have questions. 

And it's okay to not have answers. 

It's called faith because we don't have all of the answers, and honestly, we never will no matter how strong our faith is. 

I will be honest, recently I've had a few intense confrontations with God. 

I've gotten mad at Him. 

I've wondered why I don't see response to my prayers. 

Why can't I run to Him when I need a hug? (literally speaking here)

Why can't He yell loud enough for me to clearly hear? 

Why can't He fix this broken, broken world? 

And specifically, why can't He fix the broken people around me?

Why can't He fix the broken areas of my life?

And if I'm being truly honest, sometimes I get frustrated when I feel like I don't get "rewarded" for obeying Him. 

Because sometimes, obeying Him and living His way in this world is just plain hard for me. 

How twisted is that? 

I get frustrated when I don't get a pat on the back when He came and died/suffered/was humiliated for me. 

But that's what I love about Him. God doesn't ask me to be perfect. And He loves me through these little temper tantrums of mine. 

Jesus warns us that living a Godly life will be hard at times. 

But it also will be worth it.

He doesn't expect me to not have doubts. He simply wants me to bring those doubts to Him. 

To bring my questions, concerns, fears, anything to Him. 

So don't let doubt keep you from the Lord. 

Let it bring you closer to Him. 

Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have,
for God can be trusted to keep His promise.

Hebrews 10:23