Is doubt a necessary part of faith?

I am beginning to see that my faith in its new form it very different to what it once was. Before I clung to my faith as a way of proving to myself it was true. I didn't want to ask questions about it. I felt threatened by them. I thought ‘Of course I believe. I believe wholeheartedly', and that was without question a lot of the time.

But is my faith really faith when I have not looked at the negatives, questions and doubts about what I believe. If I have not experienced doubt is my faith really faith? Or is it just living the way I have been told to live by someone else.

I have just heard a lovely  wise Catholic Priest talk about how the light can be more appreciated when you know the darkness. I think I am beginning to realise that for myself. Now I have experienced doubt, my faith, although very small at present, seems even more precious to me.

I read this on a friend's blog recently " I was once told ‘my boy, always preach your convictions not your questions’. But I had seen what convictions can do to a spirit and I lived by one truth alone; ‘treasure the questions’. Even in those days I was learning that certainty was the  armour put on by those who had yet to gain the courage to live by faith." From The Churchless Sexton's Blog

The light seems brighter after being
in the darkenss

St Paul in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians says “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” When I looked up perplex in the dictionary it said, “perplex-To confuse or trouble with uncertainty or doubt”. It seems to imply that Paul also had doubts and questions about life, God, and faith but still chose to believe.

It’s only a small beginning but I am beginning to see the value of questions and doubt. Living in darkness does make the light seem very bright but also very welcome.


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