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New Start 15 isn’t a clever blogging strategy for the new year. It was the best response for two fallen women who desperately want to know God and walk His way. Kathy and I each had our motivations; mine was largely driven by a not-so-easy time of life in the Sanders household. We’re living out our faith when it’s hard.
I thought it was “safe” to review Kregel’s new title, Permission to Doubt by Ann C. Sullivan, because I haven’t really struggled with doubt. (I know … lame.) But God doesn’t work through safe. Sullivan points out that, “Stress, illness, fatigue, grief, anger, fear, loneliness, and even hormones can alter our emotions and impact how we think. And this is precisely how emotional doubt creeps in.” (p. 98)
I found myself reading the pages of Permission to Doubt with unexpected interest. It felt so … personal. I put it down on the night stand and sat still to ponder. Ann addresses “Doubts, Dry Spells, and the Rediscovery of Faith” in Part One. In the second segment, she moves to a discussion of the Three Sides of Doubt – Spiritual, Intellectual, Emotional. Finally, she tackles the issue of Making Doubt useful – Faith in the Real World.
While I marked pages and noted favorite quotes, World News reported riots in quiet places, attacks on law enforcement, and shootings of school children. We live in a day drunk with reasons to arouse doubt. As the mom of a college and high school student, our conversations can’t help but include ugly things that have become common things. As a family whose life has been ministry and ministry has been life, we can’t help but talk about where faith and church life fits in. In ways I didn’t expect, Ann’s book provided well-timed Permission to Doubt and words to use in dialoging with nearly-grown kids. After all, if we’re honest, a good look around the world and the church can leave us doubting.
If we avoid asking hard questions because we fear the answers, our faith is dishonest and our hearts can’t be holy.
Permission to Doubt is thoughtfully written from a biblical worldview and a firm faith, but a faith that hasn’t been afraid to ask hard questions. I’m so glad I agreed to review Ann C. Sullivan’s new book. Because of it, I’m listening differently when our young adults want to talk about hard issues in this hard world. I’m allowing myself to ask my God, my husband, and myself hard questions I’m asking in my most private places anyways.
Praise God that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) Of that, I have no doubt.
So how about living out faith when it’s hard? Sullivan writes, “whether through test tube, old-fashioned hard work, prayer, or all three, we all want to control our own destinies.” (p. 103) God is not afraid of our questions. He can stand up to them. His truth does not shudder or wobble in the wind of laughter or attacks. His church does not shake unless He allows it. Honest doubt, doubt that wants to know the truth, can dance away confidently when brought to the One who gives us permission to doubt.
If you’re in a hard place and emotional, spiritual, or intellectual doubts are surfacing, this book is for you. If you’re the parent of a student trying to reconcile this crazy world with God’s ways, I think this book would help you too. Maybe you’re thinking about walking away from faith, and in that case, first I hope you’ll take God up on the Permission to Doubt.
*I received a copy of Permission to Doubt in order to provide an honest review.
