The first time I attended college, I majored in English and gained a lifelong love for language and literature. I still read poetry and novels to this day, one of which includes a passage describing a rattlesnake: “The Creator of the Universe had put a rattle on its tail. The Creator had also given it front teeth which were hypodermic syringes filled with deadly poison.” After that description, the author wrote, “Sometimes I wonder about the Creator of the Universe.”

 

As a follower of Jesus, I’m taken aback by such writing, yet I admit that in my life, I’ve wrestled with serious questions and doubts. I also know that the Bible contains some deep questions for God, even some accusations that are thrown His way. One such passage that jumps to mind is in Psalm 44:

 

 

Another such passage is found in Psalm 77:

 

 

And just one more example includes questions raised in Psalm 13:

 

 

Perhaps the bigger question is why we even have to struggle so much in the first place. Why did God even allow the option to sin and to make wrong choices that lead to terrible outcomes? Why were Adam and Eve able to sin, in the event we call “the fall?” Why would God permit such a tragic event, such a flagrant act of rebellion, in full knowledge of its horrific consequences?

 

The Bible does not tell us directly why God permitted sin to enter the world. But from what we do know in Scripture, we can trust that God had good reasons for allowing the fall, whether or not we fully understand them. It’s also critical to remember that, as James N. Anderson writes, “Our world is not merely a fallen creation. It’s a fallen creation into which the eternal Son of God has entered, taking on human nature, perfectly expressing God’s likeness in our midst, living a morally flawless life, making atonement for our sins through his sacrificial death, rising in triumph from the grave, and ascending into heaven, where he continually intercedes and secures for us an eternal joyful dwelling-place in God’s presence.”

 

In addition, when we read the Bible, not just a secular novel, we find a remnant of faith in the writers, despite their struggles. As we read later in Psalm 77, following the writer’s seemingly unheard cries of distress:

 

 

And as Psalm 13 continues, after the writer feels forgotten by God:

 

 

If you were not aware of the Bible passages in which the writers question, and even accuse God, you may be taken aback, as I once was. But what’s the difference when people of faith work through their doubts and questions? Hope.

 

We tend to think that doubt will lead to a weakening, or even an abandonment, of our faith. But what if the opposite is true? What if we respond to our doubts in ways that will actually help us grow stronger in our faith? As Lee Strobel writes, “A bout of doubt may turn out to be one of the healthiest and most hope-inspiring experiences you’ll ever go through.”

 

Doubt is different than unbelief. If we’re struggling with doubts, we’re not fully believing or disbelieving. We’re just stuck on some questions or concerns. Doubt is not sinful and God does not condemn us when we ask Him questions, even the really hard-hitting questions. If that were the case, we wouldn’t read some of those challenging words I shared from the Psalms.

 

A genuine faith is a tested faith. As Rufus Jones writes, “If you have not clung to a broken piece of your old ship in the dark night of the soul, your faith may not have the sustaining power to carry you through to the end of the journey.” As we climb out of the depths of despair, and as we fight through our uncertainties, we can arise with a deeper, more hope-filled faith than we had before.

 

Troy Burns