I Have My Doubts: How God Can Use Your Uncertainty to Reawaken Your Faith

by Philip Graham Ryken

10 Bible Stories of Faith and Doubt to Encourage Believers through Uncertainty 

Will God do what he says he promises? Can we trust his intentions? Is he even good? Without guidance, these doubt-filled questions can hinder spiritual progress and lead to discouragement. Thankfully, the Bible offers encouraging examples of men and women who remained faithful to God even through seasons of uncertainty. 

Based on a series of Wheaton College chapel messages, this encouraging guide explores 10 Bible stories on the topic of faith and doubt to reassure readers that doubt is normal for Christians. These stories cover a wide range of questions and doubts that most Christians experience at some point in their faith journey—doubts about God’s power, protection, justice, healing, and more. Ultimately, readers will better understand the dynamic of faith and doubt, helping them renew their faith in God even through times of uncertainty.

 This book bolsters faith in God and his word amid inevitable times of doubt Scriptural  Explores 10 stories of biblical believers who experienced doubt yet remained faithful to God  Written by Philip  President of Wheaton College and author of Beauty Is Your Destiny; Is Jesus the Only Way?; and Loving the Way Jesus Loves.

Genres: Christian, Theology, Faith, Christian Living, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

Published August 13, 2024

About the author

Philip Graham Ryken is Senior Minister of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, where he has preached since 1995. He is Bible Teacher for the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, speaking nationally on the radio program Every Last Word. Dr. Ryken was educated at Wheaton College (IL), Westminster Theological Seminary (PA) and the University of Oxford (UK), from which he received his doctorate in historical theology. He lives with his wife (Lisa) and children (Joshua, Kirsten, Jack, Kathryn, and Karoline) in Center City, Philadelphia. When he is not preaching or spending time with his family, he likes to read books, play sports, and ponder the relationship between Christian faith and American culture. He has written or edited more than twenty books, including Bible commentaries on Exodus, Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Galatians.

Reviews

[Brandi Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lately, I’ve found myself praying the confession of a desperate father found in Mark 9:24–“I believe; help my unbelief.”

As life continues to do its fair share of lifin’, the wrestle with doubt has become more real. And while it’s not doubt in God’s existence or His sovereignty, the “smaller” doubts often feel more insidious.

It’s such a blessing to have read I Have My Doubts in this season! Philip Ryken does an incredible job normalizing doubt as a part of the Christian faith. By doing so, he alleviates the shame and secrecy that come along with it.

Over nine chapters, Ryken walks us through different experiences we may have with doubt, sharing a key biblical figure and their story as an anchor. He addresses doubt in the areas of God’s:

🤨 trustworthy word
🤨 saving promise
🤨 missional call
🤨 supernatural protection
🤨 abundant generosity
🤨 basic fairness
🤨 loving care
🤨 miraculous healing
🤨 resurrection power

The final chapter serves as an encouragement and call for us to doubt our doubts—not in a simplistic shoving them aside sort of way, but in intentional examination.

I feel encouraged and strengthened after having read this book! This is a book that every believer would benefit from. Highly recommend!

Grateful to @crosswaybooks for providing me a copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. I’m a slow reader and managed to get through it in five days with the 15ish page chapters. And that’s just the length of the book, the content was better.

Content wise, I found the book to be eye-opening, insightful, and motivating for someone who has their own doubts from time to time. It seems the book is constantly pointing to the point made in the last chapter which is to doubt our doubts and to, even amid doubts, continue to seek out God rather than create distance. Ryken provides example after example of testimonies from people of the modern day to those found in scripture to analyze what it means to doubt and how it can lead to a deepening of faith for the believer in Christ.

[Lacey Lieberman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very encouraging and filled with great reminders that even though we are often doubting-believers we can look to the many examples in the Bible on how to take our doubts and draw nearer to Christ.

“Focusing on Jesus: this was the life lesson that Peter learned one night on the Sea of Galilee. It is the most important lesson we all learn in our ongoing struggle with unbelief. When we focus on Jesus, faith overcomes all our doubts, and we find ourselves able to walk with Jesus, step by step.”

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took my time with this book, and I absolutely loved it. I don’t even know how many highlights I added, but it’s a lot. This book met me right where I currently am and was such an encouragement for me to keep facing in the direction of Jesus. Highly recommend.

[Jenna Hendry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book absolutely changed my life and my faith. I will recommend to every single person I know.

[Syri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily the most encouraging book I’ve read on the subject of doubt. I love the way Ryken walks through biblical narratives to expose just how common doubt is for followers of Christ. Everytime I picked up this book, I walked away encouraged and refreshed. I would recommend this for anyone who has ever struggled with doubt or for anyone who knows someone who struggles. It’s too good to pass on reading. I hope it is as much as a blessing to others as it was for me!

[Conrade Yap · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faith and doubt are part and parcel of what it means to be human. Honest doubt can lead to deeper insights about Truth. Sarcasm or superficial faith can lead one away from Truth. In a world that is infatuated with certainty, doubts can sometimes be perceived negatively. Humanly speaking, doubt gives us a weirdness that cannot be easily dispensed with. Instead of letting doubt scrape away our layers of faith, why not let these doubts point us to deeper levels of faith and understanding? The central message in this book is to "retain the courage of one's doubts as well as one's convictions." Using ten challenging stories from the Bible that deal with the interplays of faith and doubt, author-professor Philip Ryken shows us to be bold with our doubts and how we can grow in our faith. The ten stories cover several pertinent concerns about Christian living and faith. They cover topics like:
- Is the Bible really true?
- Given all the problems happening in this world, is God really good?
- Can I really do the will and mission of God?
- Can God really protect me?
- Is God really as generous as people say He is?
- How fair is God, really?
- Is God truly loving and caring?
- Can God heal?
- Did Jesus truly rise again and if so, will believers also rise with Him?

Using stories from contemporary times together with biblical characters, Ryken points out how in spite of these doubts, reasons for faith far outweighs those on doubt. From the story of Eve questioning God's Word, he makes a fair distinction between dishonest doubts and honest questioning. The former has disobedience in mind while the latter looks for reasons to believe. On the biblical story of Sarah, Ryken looks at how people can doubt God's promises when circumstances go south. Rather than remembering Sarah's doubts in perpetuity, we are reminded to understand the "prequel and the sequel" of Sarah's faith. On the topic of mission and God's calling, we read about Moses whose real doubt is not about God's inability to fulfill but his own focus on himself. Elisha's servant at Dothan allowed doubt to degenerate into fear. In contrast, Elisha was the opposite, and his level of trust and confidence in God helped diffuse the situation. The story of Naomi is a wonderful example of God's abundant blessing amid trial and tribulation. Even Asaph the psalmist has his fair share of doubting. These and many more demonstrate that doubts are part and parcel of daily living. The key is to take God's Word as is and let God speak to our questions. As long as we are honest, God will answer us. Ryken ends with a concluding chapter about doubting our doubts. This calls for spiritual discernment as not all our doubts deserve prolonged validation.

My Thoughts
==============
First, we should not be afraid to doubt. Many professors and teachers have claimed that there is no such thing as a stupid question. The purpose is to encourage the meek to ask questions and not be afraid to speak up. As long as we are honest about wanting to learn and seek the Truth, we should turn doubts into opportunities to learn more about God. The main thing to distinguish is the question behind the question. Why are we doubting it in the first place? If it is a desire to seek the Truth and to answer our deepest questions, then ask. However, if our doubts are intentional barriers against faith, or malicious skepticism to push us further from God, or mischievous tactics to justify our disobedience, then we should doubt our doubts. Doubting is natural for we have all inherited the sin that began with Adam and Eve. Rather than to let this be the final say, look to Jesus as the final arbiter of all Truth. If we dare to take up the questioning mantle from Adam and Eve, we should also learn to accept the humble posture of Jesus who was persecuted. Be honest in our questions. Be fair with our probing. Be faithful in learning to wait for divine answers.

Second, this book reminds us what it means to be human. We are reminded that Bible characters are ordinary people like you and me. Sometimes when we read the Bible, we tend to elevate certain Bible characters to superstardom, as if they were perfect. Some do character studies. Others lift these characters up as models for us to emulate. Common examples are characters like Abraham, Joseph, David, Peter, Paul, Timothy, etc. Instead of treating them as super-spiritual people, it is wise to remember that they are flawed individuals who were blessed by God not because they did well but because of God's mercy. In many Bible characters, one common trait is their moments of doubt. In that sense, they are ordinary people like you and me.

Third, when things hit an impasse, learn Anselm's use of "fides quaerens intellectum" (aka "faith seeking understanding"). When Jesus tells us that blessed are those who believe without seeing, he is pointing to a deeper level of belief that can only come when we let faith, not doubt lead the way. The logic is simple. If God is truly God, then we need to let faith in Him lead us more. If we allow doubt to dictate our every move and action, then we are letting human wisdom take control. We cannot let doubts derail our faith journey. In Christian spirituality, doubts can sharpen and shape us positively. There will come a point where we need to draw the line and let faith guide us in seeking further enlightenment. I remember one evangelist saying that those who can reason themselves into faith, can also reason themselves out of the faith.

For anyone who has been troubled by doubts and want to learn how to deal with it, this book is for you.

Philip Graham Ryken (DPhil, University of Oxford) is the eighth president of Wheaton College. He preached at Philadelphia’s Tenth Presbyterian Church from 1995 until his appointment at Wheaton in 2010. Ryken has published more than fifty books, including When Trouble Comes and expository commentaries on Exodus, Ecclesiastes, and Jeremiah. He serves as a board member for the Gospel Coalition and the Lausanne Movement.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Crossway Publishers via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

[Pamela Kilzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I Have My Doubts” took a different turn than I expected, but I enjoyed the surprise! This is a super short and simple book, which I appreciated, and Philip Ryken doesn’t waste a word. Ryken walks through multiple biblical stories of doubt and how they apply to us currently walking in faith. It was very comforting for me to be reminded that the great heroes of the faith were really just regular people like myself, trying to take small steps every day. There were lots of good little nuggets of knowledge distributed throughout the book, like the legitimacies of the gospels, how we can behave as doubting believers and how to question our doubts themselves. I do wish Ryken would have included just a few more practical steps that we can take when facing doubts; some of the book did seem a bit heady. I would’ve liked for him to ground his recommendations in the reader’s daily reality. But, a really good book I enjoyed!

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I Have My Doubts” is a brief and easy-to-read book highlighting ten categories of doubting and biblical stories that relate. It’s aimed at Christians, and instead of attempting to answer all the questions a doubter may have, its goal seems to be to “encourage the fainthearted” that they are not alone or unique, and to remind them where to go with their doubts - to God Himself. It’s understandable and understanding, full of hopeful reminders and friendly exhortation.

My couple of small critiques are that it does quote a lot of other people (some of whom I don’t think could be defined as evangelical, although their quotes fit in the context) and sometimes the book seems to spend more time telling stories instead of sharing solutions. But then again it’s not trying to debate anything as much as it is encourage believers to keep the faith, and in that it succeeds, making it a worthwhile read.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ryken is a clear communicator, very solid. Often his books are based on chapel sermons, but he never states as much in this volume (though it would be very helpful for a college student struggling with his or her faith).

The key with doubt is not to be afraid of it, not to deny it, but neither to nurse it or to ignore it. Bring them to God and his Word. See how he responds. And as it has been said elsewhere, "Doubt your doubts." There is no reason to give doubt priority over belief. Don't assume doubt or unbelief as a default position (I'm speaking apart from total depravity of the need of regeneration here).

Ryken answers various types of doubt ably, while pointing the reader to Christ. Well done.

[Rob Sumrall · Rating 4 out of 5]

What lessons can we learn from people who were haunted with doubts? People who were crushed by uncertainty? Philip Ryker skillfully examines ten biblical personalities who wrestled with doubt. He mines their experiences for lessons the reader can learn about leaning into God in seasons of struggle. He builds his case studies on the foundation of solid biblical exegesis. This book is well-researched, including many citations and quotes that I will use in teaching and preaching. My heart was warmed in reading I Have My Doubts. I think your's will be too.

[Amelia Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author systematically takes each person's story from the Bible and highlights the different doubts they had as they walked through their journey of faith. For what it is, it is great. It gives space for questions, treating them kindly and gently acknowledging a wide range. There's not simple or dismissive answers. It can feel a little short sometimes and sometimes feel like things are wrapped up too quickly but the chapters are easy to read and good to think about.

[Richard Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book offers a solid foundation for Christians grappling with doubt. Ryken’s insights are both biblical and practical, avoiding superficial responses. He encourages readers to doubt their doubts and to persevere in the faith. I highly recommend this book for those experiencing doubt and for anyone who wishes to support others who are struggling with their faith.

[Luke Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a special title. A book, when engaged with properly, aides faith and worship. Whether the author’s way of words, or real life examples and testimonies, or the study of the selected passages of scripture - all combined wonderfully to make a book that was very precious and timely for my particular season. Will be reading again and recommending!

[Jaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Refreshing insights on how to examine and deal with our doubts, displeasure, and disbelief with God. This book is a real, authentic journey through scripture that shows us that faith and doubt sometimes clash and coexist and God is faithful to us regardless of where we’re at

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read as the author teaches about different scenarios of doubt when it comes to the Christian faith using the accounts of Biblical characters. Having doubt is less important than what you do with it.

[Sarah Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much appreciate this book while wrestling with doubts! It felt practical and helpful!

[Sarah White · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comforting read in a hard time

[James Brixey]

genuinely triggered many questions

[Gareth Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ryken helpfully looks at accounts of people’s doubt in the Bible, showing that rather than pushing them to deconstructing those doubts pushed them closer to Christ.