IS IT OKAY TO DOUBT?

- Many students have doubts about whether God exists. That’s natural; you can’t know the answers to everything about God.
- When you have doubts, it’s good to talk about them with other believers rather than stuff them. If you open up to others, you might be able to work through your doubts together.
- Admitting that you have doubts seems weak and shameful. But doubt isn’t the opposite of faith – disbelief is.

Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
Make a list of some spiritual doubts you’ve had. Be specific.
Have you ever met a Christian who didn’t have doubts? If so, how do you know they were perfectly doubt-free?
Who can you open up to about your doubts? Make a list. Are your parents on the list? Why or why not?
Thomas was famous for doubting. Find his story in the Bible, and talk about how Jesus responded to his doubts.

DEEPER

- Like many of us, Thomas started with zeal. He was willing to die for his faith. John 11:16
- Somewhere along the way, Thomas got confused. Though he had been walking with Jesus, he didn’t fully get who he was. John 14:5-7
- After the death of Jesus, Thomas became a skeptic. He needed proof of life, not just a second-hand testimony. John 20:25
- When Thomas encountered the resurrected Christ, he reaffirmed his faith. The interaction proves that Jesus is not afraid of our doubts. John 20:26

Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
Share some of your questions or doubts you’ve had about faith, the Bible, and Jesus. How have you gone about finding answers to those questions in the past?
“Doubt is not the opposite of faith.” Why is there room for doubt regarding matters of faith?
Read John 11:16. Share your journey of faith. How is it similar to Thomas and how is it different?
Read John 14:3-5. Share a time you were confused about what God was doing/not doing in a difficult situation. How did your confusion affect your walk with God?
Read John 14:6-7. How did Jesus answer Thomas’ question? Why do you think he went beyond the question to more foundational information?
Read John 20:25-29. How did Jesus respond to Thomas’ doubts? How has Jesus proved himself to you, reaffirming your faith?

- If you actually stop and look at the lives of some of the most important figures in the Bible, you realize just how good God is at using people who have failed in spite of their failures. Abraham, Moses, and David all made mistakes but God still used them!
- We can never catch God off guard with our sins and mistakes- he knows that we are going to mess up and he even knows exactly how we’re going to do it. Yet despite knowing all that, he still chose to save us. Luke 22:31-34
- Often in our failures, our inclination is to turn inward and waste energy on self-loathing. But God wants us to turn to him when we make mistakes. Romans 8:1, 2 Corinthians 12:9
- God can use your failures as the fuel that ignites your purpose. Your experiences give you unique insight and wisdom to help others. Your greatest failure, in Christ, can become your greatest passion.

Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
Think of some of the other Biblical figures with troubling pasts that God has used. How did God use them despite their failures?
Read Luke 22:31-34. Why is it freeing to think that God already knows every failure and mistake in our lives? How can that help us to move forward?
Read Romans 8:1. How can our past failures help others? Have you ever learned anything from someone else’s mistakes? Explain.
Read 2 Corinthians 12:9 and 1 John 1:9. What are some ways we can turn back to God after we have messed up? Is there a “go-to” way that reconnects you to God when you know you’ve fallen away from him?
Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?

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