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Time for a Renovation

Imagine you buy a house, but you discover the kitchen isn’t functional. While everything looked okay from the outside, you realize there’s a leak that could corrode the whole thing. You’ve got a big problem, and at this point, you have two choices—ignore it or address it.

So what do you do?

Most of the time, you don’t just sell the house. You also don’t let the problem get worse. You choose to take on a renovation.

Renovation isn’t easy. It’s often expensive, incredibly inconvenient, and honestly a little scary. It’s like on those home improvement shows where the problem looks worse before it gets better. Renovation feels vulnerable and unstable.

Our faith can work the same way.

We build our faith around a set of core beliefs. But sometimes, the foundation of our beliefs is called into question, and we’re not sure what to do.

Maybe along the path of following Jesus, you picked up some cultural assumptions that seemed true but don’t have a basis in the Bible. Maybe you’ve experienced deep hurt that leaves you wondering how a good God could possibly exist in the middle of so much pain and suffering. Maybe you encountered some Christians who made you question everything by their hurtful attitudes and behaviors.

Or maybe you’ve been faced with some new perspectives, whether in college, on a YouTube spiral, or from someone you trust, that shake the very core of your beliefs. Maybe you’ve questioned whether the Bible is accurate or true.

And even worse than the paralyzing questions, maybe you feel a deep sense of shame. Perhaps you think you can’t voice your doubts because doing so would make you a “bad Christian.”

And while your feelings and fears are valid, they don’t discount your faith. In fact, your doubts, handled properly, can be the doorway to a deeper faith.

You don’t need to walk away from Jesus because you have questions. His earliest followers did too. And Jesus Himself led the way with asking questions and challenging assumptions. That’s why He often started statements with things like, “You’ve heard it said ... But I say…”

His famous Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 is full of examples where He elevates the Law and forces the people around Him to think deeply about what it looks like to follow His upside-down way of life.

So if you’ve doubted some things you’ve believed about God, you’re not alone. In Matthew 28:17, right after the disciples had literally seen Jesus raised from the dead, they doubted.

Jesus doesn’t get angry with them. Instead, in verses 18-20, Jesus responds to their doubt by granting them authority, giving them purpose, and promising to be with them through it all.

Your doubts don’t make you a bad Christian. They make you human. And the other side of your doubts could reveal a renovation of your heart like you’ve never imagined. So over the next few days, let’s talk about what to do when you doubt your faith.

Pray: God, thank You for drawing near to us, even in the middle of doubt. I am really struggling to believe _______. Help me with my unbelief, Father. Show me any assumptions I believe that don’t have basis in truth. Bring me a renovation of my heart, giving me the courage to come to You with my doubts and disappointments. In Jesus’ name, amen.