Five Minute Friday :: Doubt

• Five Minute Friday :: Doubt Linkup

Philosophers and theologians like to remind us faith or belief (trust) and doubt (not trusting) form a bonded pair that can't be separated. We know faith as a gift of the Spirit, yet it's in spite of the existence of doubt. In memorable and memorizable form, Martin Luther's famous explanation to the Holy Christ/Sanctification third article of the Apostle's Creed in his Small Catechism reminds us it's all gift, all grace:

I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth… This is most certainly true.

All that is good and it's important. That it gives life on many levels is most certainly true. But my most recent doubts have been about not believing my life ever would reweave organically again. Actually? Because of too much experience and countless tries to recreate a world of meaning, purpose, and service to others, I still doubt it's possible. Not that believing everything you see and hear ever is wise, not that refusal to keep on keepin' on is a bad idea, but few events and outcomes are particularly random or unintended.

Look around! Look at yourself! How much of your family's, friends', or your own overall situation can be credited to careful planning, hard work, and capturing (sometimes closely related, sometimes at right angles to expectations) surprising opportunities that seem to fall out of the sky? A total carpe diem lifestyle almost always yields good fruit. But I've done all that and I still doubt!

I've done all that and still have serious doubts because community support is such a major piece of life-restoring and sustaining results. Where's this FMF headed? Where is my life headed?

Please stay tuned. Okay?
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