Day 11

“Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it to my side.  Stop doubting and believe’.”   — JOHN 20:27

Thomas was not with the other disciples when Jesus suddenly appeared to them after His resurrection. They were overjoyed and they told Thomas, “We have seen the Lord!” But Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it” (John 20:25).

Thomas had been with Jesus for three years and had heard Him say He would rise again. His own comrades tell him, but he doesn’t believe it. There are four plausible reasons that may explain why Thomas doubted and why many people doubt the resurrection of Christ.

Isolation: It is significant that Thomas was not with the other disciples. Standing alone leaves us vulnerable to doubt. If there is no regular fellowship with other believers, it is usually detrimental to our believing. 

Incredulity: Dead men don’t rise. From human perspectives, it goes against all fundamental laws of nature. We either dismiss it, or realize there is something bigger going on than simply the forces of nature. The resurrection of the dead is outside the laws of nature, and as such, gives evidence God is involved.

Temperament: Our temperaments can condition our outlook and understanding. There are those who will dismiss something that is hard to believe simply because it’s their nature. They have to see it to believe it, or they’ll be inclined to think pessimistically about it. That may have been Thomas. 

Stubbornness: Thomas does not say, “I cannot believe it.”, but, “I will not believe it.” It is not an intellectual problem as much as a volitional problem – he would not believe. We can find a hundred reasons why we shouldn’t believe if we don’t want to. It can be sheer pride that stops us believing.

Having said this, we need to be careful about trying to speed people through the process of doubt. There has to be a gestation period of thoughts and ideas that need to be worked through. It is actually a good thing when doubting leads to inquiry and searching, but never good when it becomes an excuse for not accepting truth. Jesus gave Thomas a week before appearing to him again, and with unwavering conviction, Thomas proclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” And he went on to become the furthest travelled apostle, taking the Gospel into the far reaches of India.  

PRAYER: Dear Father, if any doubts concerning You should creep in, may I always be mindful that anything is possible with You. Thank You for having raised Jesus, enabling His resurrected life to live in me, and Thank You for the day You will raise me too into my eternal home with Him.

TO REFLECT UPON: Do I have any doubts at all concerning God? If so, what can I do to put them to rest?