If I Really Believe, Why Do I Have These Doubts?

by Lynn Anderson

Faith is the most fundamentally important aspect of following Christ. Yet there are times in every believer's life when the inevitable question arises in the heart and works its way to the soul: If I really believe, why do I have these doubts? The question may have been planted by tragedy or trial. It may have been ignited by rejection or heartbreak. It may even be as simple as an intellectual burr that can't be shaken. If you or someone you know is asking this question, this book will bring help and hope to every heart in search of a deeper faith.

Genres: Religion, Christianity, Theology, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I Really Believe is eleven chapters long and divided into four parts. Part one (chapters 1-3) paints a picture of the different manifestations of doubt that may crop up in a believer’s life, exposes the origins of doubt, and cautions against certain methods of pursuing faith that the author refers to as “blind alleys.” Part two (chapters 4-5) answers the question, “What is faith?” by first tearing down common misconceptions of what faith is and then rebuilding a biblical model of faith by examining the life of the Father of the Faithful, Abraham. Part three (chapter 6) answers the question, “Why does my faith look different than yours?” by explaining faith in terms of stages of growth. Finally, part four (chapters 7-11) lays out a practical action plan for growing and maturing in genuine faith. There is also an epilogue which addresses the role of mystery in the believer’s life, an appendix which provides a number of faith-building materials, and a section outfitted with discussion questions for personal or group use.

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[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anderson provides a broad survey on why people who don't want to doubt, doubt. He doesn't discuss the nature of doubt in much detail, but he does address how doubt's presentation differs among personality types and life's situations, why doubt shouldn't freak us out, and how to tame our doubts. This book is a good companion to Gary Habermas's "The Thomas Factor."