Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional “Loving Doubting Thomas” for Thursday, 18 December 2014 - Scripture: John 20:24-29

Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional “Loving Doubting Thomas” for Thursday, 18 December 2014 - Scripture: John 20:24-25 But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, “We saw the Master.”
But he said, “Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won’t believe it.”
26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, “Peace to you.”
27 Then he focused his attention on Thomas. “Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don’t be unbelieving. Believe.”
28 Thomas said, “My Master! My God!”
29 Jesus said, “So, you believe because you’ve seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.”
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. . . . By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.[Hebrews 11:1, 3 (NRSV)]
As a child, I found faith in God easy. I felt it when singing hymns and hearing Bible stories in Sunday school and church. I felt it when I prayed. As I got older, though, I found that holding on to my faith — and even, sometimes, a belief in God — was difficult. I remembered the story of “Doubting Thomas.” Thomas was not one of the first witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection, but Jesus appeared to him a week later and admonished him, “Do not doubt but believe.” I found parallels between my own struggles and Thomas’s struggles to believe.
I have sympathy for Thomas. I take heart that Jesus understood there would be doubt among his followers. After years of feeling lost, I take comfort in God. I view my struggles with faith not as failures but as opportunities to seek Jesus and to look for the signs of him in my daily life. I find relief, knowing that he loves me and forgives me. He is with me to show me his wounds and to heal mine.
Read more from the author, here.
"God Is My Solace"
I have grown with The Upper Room from finding it in the church pews in childhood to borrowing my mother’s copy in high school to receiving a gift subscription in college to picking up copies in adulthood. I have always loved that each day’s meditation is written by a different person and offers us, the readers, a glimpse into someone’s spiritual life. Those personal offerings help us in our own relationships with God. We reflect, we pray, and we give thanks for the words and insights offered to us.
Some people seem to be sure of their faith and their steadfastness is admirable and amazing. I have never been one of those people. Sometimes my prayers to God are more like arguments and debates. When I wrote this meditation, almost two years ago to this day, I had been praying and wondering and asking God about my relationship with him. I remembered the story of Doubting Thomas, but I did not remember the particulars. So, I grabbed my Concordance and my Bible and sat down to read and contemplate the story. After reading the scripture, I stood up, walked around the room on my tiptoes, and breathed deeply. On that cold December morning, I knew that I had kinship with Doubting Thomas and that perhaps I could offer words of comfort to the others out there to whom faith does not come easy. Words, for me, have always been solace, and I hoped that in writing the meditation I might be able to articulate my own spiritual journey.
I prayed over and over, “Dear God, Please help me. Please help me. Please help me.” In that morning, after years of struggle and doubt, I realized that the bumpy and rocky journey is my path with God. He must recognize that I question and struggle and argue and scream and cry and laugh, but it is in earnest. Finally, instead of doubting my relationship, I took solace in knowing that is my path with God. Words, of comfort, of prayer, of argument, of debate, are what I offer. I am learning, now, to be still and silent and to take solace in that time. In those spaces I listen for answers and I find love. There will be more questions and doubt, but the journey with God is my solace. I am blessed to be on the journey, living and learning and loving God.[Kary Schumpert]
The Author: Karyn Schumpert (Colorado, USA)
Thought for the Day: Our doubts and struggles can strengthen our faith and commitment.
Prayer: Dear God, help us to use our doubt as an opportunity to seek your word and to strengthen our love, life, and faith. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those who are struggling with doubt
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