This blog is based on the chapter “Jesus Overcomes the Doubts of Doubting Thomas” in my book Hoping in the LORD, at pages 321-325.

Some of us have to wait longer than others until we see and hear Jesus clearly—until he enters the locked rooms of our hearts.

Doubting Thomas was not there when Jesus appeared to the disciples in a locked room on the evening of the first Easter. (John 20:24). He became one of those people who have to wait longer than others to see and hear Jesus clearly.

Doubting Thomas was not convinced by eyewitness accounts from other disciples.

Doubting Thomas was not convinced by passages from the Hebrew Scriptures that described the Messiah in ways that fit the teachings, ministry, sufferings, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus.

Nevertheless, Doubting Thomas did one thing right. He continued meeting with those who had no doubts.

“A week later [when Jesus’] disciples were in the house again, . . . Thomas was with them” (John 20:26). So Thomas was present this time when Jesus came to remove all doubts.

Just as on that first Easter evening one week before, “the doors were locked” (John 20:26), as described in my blog “Overcoming Oceans of Fears”.

Despite the locked doors, the risen “Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’” (John 20:26) This was the same greeting he had used the week before (John 20:19).

This time Thomas was there to receive the peace that only the risen Lord Jesus Christ can give.

Jesus turned his attention directly to him. Jesus “said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’” (John 20:27).

Now Doubting Thomas had the physical proof he needed. And he’d learned from the Scriptures the theological significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

His physical experiences and his intellectual knowledge complemented and illuminated each other. Thomas stopped doubting. He believed! He said to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

When you have intellectual doubts about the truth regarding God, do not lose hope. Everyone feels doubts and confusion sometimes in the face of tragedies or skepticism. The important thing is never to give up your search for the truth despite your doubts. Because, if you persevere, Jesus will eventually satisfy your questioning.

The experiences of Thomas as a doubter shed light on how to overcome such doubts.

First and foremost, do not stop gathering with other followers of Jesus! Even though you have doubts, stay near those who are patient enough to help you through your time of doubting.

Second, do not limit yourself to one approach to perceiving truth. The doubts of Doubting Thomas come easily to those steeped in modern science. It is hard to find that intellectual balance between what physical evidence can prove and what the Scriptures teach. But never lose hope that, when properly understood and applied, Science and the Scriptures will complement and illuminate each other.

There are a number of ways to think about this.

One way is to think of Science and the Scriptures as two different tools for discovering the truth about the universe(s).

Just as both a microscope and a telescope are useful for discovering truth, both Science and the Scriptures are useful for discovering truth. But if we use the wrong tool to try to discover a particular aspect of the truth, we will become as befuddled as an astronomer trying to see a star with a microscope and as a biologist trying to see a virus with a telescope.

Another way is to think of Science and the Scriptures as two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation.

Both wavelengths are useful in discovering the truth about the universe, even though images taken in different wavelengths may look very different from each other. That is why we send satellites above the earth’s atmosphere to take pictures of the sky using different wavelengths (such as x-rays) than those wavelengths of light that pass through the Earth’s atmosphere.

Want a more down-to-earth example of how different the same thing looks when seen in different wavelengths of “light”? Think how your hand looks when seen in a normal photograph. Then think how your hand looks when seen in a photograph taken with x-rays.

Both photos are true and accurate. But one photo is more useful if you want to know how your hand looks to other people. The other photo is more useful if you want to know whether you have a broken bone.

The two photos complement and illuminate the truth about your hand. Science and the Scriptures complement and illuminate the truth about the universe(s).

In God’s good time and in God’s good way, Jesus will reveal to you the right “tools” and the right “photos” to find him.

Then you will stop doubting. Then you will believe. Then you will say to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!”

I have two words of caution, however.

First, it may be a long time before Jesus reveals the right “tools” and the right “photos” to you. Thomas only had to wait one week. But other people have sincere doubts for years and decades—even to their dying day.

Be patient while you work through your doubts. And always be patient with others who doubt, even if you have no doubts.

Second, make sure your doubts are sincere.

Some people insincerely use “doubts” merely as excuses for not following God’s ways. In such cases of insincere questioning, you may never find the right “tools” and “photos”. Because no matter what you discover about God and his ways, you will always deny the truth. (2 Timothy 3:7; Luke 9:57-62).

Then you will become like the unfruitful soil in the Parable of the Sower. (Matthew 13:18-23). You will be unable to bear fruit for Jesus—not because of your doubts about the truth—but because of troubles, persecutions, worries, the deceitfulness of wealth, or the desire for other things.

And, finally, keep in mind that doubts can come at many times and about many things.

Even if you are convinced that Jesus is your Lord and your God, doubts may arise over what God has called you to do with your life. Or doubts may arise over practices that you previously participated in such as astrology, gambling, abortion, or war.

Do not despair in the face of doubts about what you should do or believe.

No matter how many rooms are locked in your heart and mind, Jesus always comes into them in God’s good time and in God’s good way. Jesus always says, “Peace be with you!”

In God’s good time and in God’s good way, Jesus always provides the right mix of experiences from life and teachings from the Scriptures to end the doubts in your mind, bring hope to your heart, and give purpose to your life.

In God’s good time and in God’s good way, Jesus will carry you over oceans of your doubts to the Promised Land.

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When I talk about the Promised Land, I am not talking about a geographic concept. I am talking about a spiritual concept—a “Promised Land” where “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3). I used this spiritual concept in all my books, most notably The Promised Land and Healing the Promised Land.

To read why I believe Jesus rose from the dead, please read the chapters “Caiaphas and Pilate Ensure No One Can Steal Jesus’ Body” and “God the Father Resurrects His Son, Jesus Christ” in my book Hoping in the LORD, at pages 297-308.

To read about the effect of the Resurrection of Jesus on his followers, please read my blogs “Overcoming  Oceans of Despair”,  “Overcoming Oceans of Hopeless Confusion”, and “Overcoming Oceans of Fears”; and the chapters “As Mary Cries, Jesus Comes and Calls Her by Name”, “A Healthy Jesus Walks to Emmaus”, “Jesus Tells the Disciples, ‘Peace Be with You!’”, “Jesus Overcomes the Doubts of Doubting Thomas”, and “Jesus Encourages Peter to Take Care of His Sheep” in my book Hoping in the LORD, at pages 309-333.

To read more about the difficult theological and philosophical questions touched upon in this blog, please read the Appendices to my book The Promised Land, at pages 153-210.