Doubts about God can be hard to talk about. For many Christians, doubt can feel like a threat to their faith and identity. While doubt can feel scary, we don’t need to be afraid of our doubts. Why? Because doubt is a normal part of faith.
How do we know it’s normal? Just look at the Bible. Scripture is full of people expressing doubts about God’s plan. Plenty of other authors of the Bible wonder why God lets bad things happen to themselves or the people they care about. And some ask hard questions about God’s character and love.
Below, you’ll find five examples of doubt in the Bible. I hope these examples help you feel like you’re not alone in your doubts and that doubts can lead to a stronger faith.
5 Stories of Doubt in the Bible
Doubt is a normal part of faith. It’s not something we need to hide from, deny, or fight against. Instead, doubt is an invitation for us to discover what we truly believe. Maybe you’re experiencing doubt in God right now, or maybe you’ve been doubting for a while. Either way, you’re not alone.
People in the Bible were complex–they had doubts, fears, and questions, but also experienced moments of strong faith. Here are a few examples of people in the Bible who encountered doubt.
1. Moses Doubted God’s Power
God appeared to Moses in a burning bush and called on him to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt. But Moses had doubts.
At first, Moses questioned his abilities and asked whether the Israelites would believe him. He said to God: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11 NIV) and “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” (Exodus 4:1 NIV)
What was Moses doubting? He was doubting that God could use someone like him to make a difference. Can you relate?
Like Moses, you might doubt God’s ability to do anything meaningful through you. Maybe you feel like you’re not good enough, strong enough, or smart enough to make a difference. Or you might feel like your past choices disqualify you from making a positive impact.
God reassured Moses and gave him power as proof of His presence. Moses knew, on his own, he was not enough. But God met his doubts with grace and invited Moses to rely on His power.
2. Elijah Doubted God’s Plan
Elijah experienced some intense doubts in the book of 1 Kings.
Elijah called down fire from heaven and defeated the prophets of Baal. But he didn’t celebrate. Instead, he went on the run from a powerful, ruthless ruler who had a habit of killing God’s prophets.
For some time, God sustained Elijah with food and water, but Elijah still had his doubts. Here’s what he said in 1 Kings:
“… The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” 1 Kings 19:10 NIV
What did Elijah doubt? He doubted God’s plan. He said that everyone faithful to God had either given up their faith or died, and now he was the only one left. So Elijah thought God’s good plan had failed, and he didn’t see the point of living anymore.
Have you ever felt like God’s failed you? Maybe you prayed for something, and God didn’t answer how you hoped He would. Or maybe something unexpected threw your life into a tailspin. Now, like Elijah, you feel alone, abandoned, and afraid.
God responded to Elijah’s doubt by providing him with reassurance, guidance, and company. He let Elijah express his doubts and met them with grace. When Elijah was ready, God helped him find hope in His good plan.
3. Job Doubted God’s Character
Job was a wealthy and faithful follower of God who suddenly lost all his wealth, children, and health.
In the face of his suffering, Job questioned God’s justice and fairness. He said: “Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?” (Job 3:11 NIV) and “Why do you hide your face and consider me your enemy?” (Job 13:24 NIV)
Have you ever had a moment where you doubted God’s goodness and questioned His character? If so, you can probably relate to some of what Job felt. Job lost everything and remained faithful to God. But he also expressed his doubts.
That’s because doubt and faith aren’t at opposite ends of a spiritual spectrum. Instead, doubts help us examine our faith, let go of false beliefs, and strengthen our trust in what’s true.
Job felt despair and frustration that led to pain-filled questions. God met his questions with grace. God responded to Job’s questions with some questions of His own. They reminded Job of God’s power and wisdom, leading Job to trust God in the midst of his doubt.
4. Peter Doubted Jesus
In the New Testament, we meet Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples. Yet Peter doubted Jesus at a few critical moments.
On the night of His arrest, Jesus told His disciples that all of them would desert Him. Peter, known for being very confident, declared that he would never betray Jesus. However, later that night, when Jesus was arrested, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times.
Why did Peter deny knowing Jesus? We’re not totally sure, but it’s likely that Peter experienced some doubts about Jesus. Throughout Jesus’ ministry, Peter seemed to carry some false beliefs about God’s plan. He thought that Jesus came to set up a kingdom on earth that would rule over all nations. Perhaps he believed that Jesus would use His divine power to get revenge on His enemies. Jesus’ arrest confronted his false beliefs and led him to deny knowing Jesus.
Doubt is a tool God uses to confront, refine, and rework our beliefs to better align them with His.
It’s easy to let false beliefs slip into our faith. But how do we know if our beliefs are false? Simple. We read and reread the stories of Jesus. Jesus shows us what God is like. If our beliefs don’t line up with the words and actions of Jesus, then we have some room to grow. That’s why doubt can be so helpful. Doubt is a tool God uses to confront, refine, and rework our beliefs to better align them with His.
Peter’s doubts devastated his faith, but Jesus wasn’t done with him. After rising from the dead, Jesus met Peter’s doubts with grace and welcomed him back.
Doubt can feel disturbing, but it’s what Peter needed to confront his false beliefs. Don’t be afraid of your doubts. They might be God inviting you to reexamine your beliefs so you can have a healthier faith.
5. ‘Doubting Thomas’ Asked for a Sign
Probably the most famous story of doubt in the Bible is Thomas. Or, as he’s often called, doubting Thomas.
In the book of John, Jesus appeared to some of His disciples after His death and resurrection, but Thomas wasn’t there. So when the other disciples told Thomas they’d seen Jesus, he didn’t believe them. He said:
“... Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” John 20:25 NIV
A week later, Jesus appeared to the disciples again, with Thomas present. Jesus offered Thomas the opportunity to touch His wounds and gently encouraged him to stop doubting and believe. Thomas declared his faith in Jesus.
While Thomas’ doubt is sometimes seen as a weakness, it can also be seen as a strength. His skepticism is relatable. Resurrections don’t happen every day, after all.
Maybe you, like Thomas, have some doubts about the miraculous events in the Bible and have trouble trusting a God you can’t fully understand. But Thomas kept showing up. Even in his doubt, he continued to meet with his fellow followers of Jesus. And eventually, Jesus showed up. When Jesus arrived, He didn’t criticize Thomas’ doubts. Instead, He approached Thomas and let Him touch His hands.
Doubt is natural, but don’t let doubt make you feel like you need to isolate yourself from followers of Jesus. When you don’t feel God, or you question His presence, keep showing up. God isn’t mad at you for having doubts. And if you continue pursuing Him, He’ll make Himself known to you.
Dealing With Doubt
In times of doubt, let’s remember these stories of doubt in the Bible. God meets doubts with grace, not condemnation. Doubt isn’t a disease, so don’t let your doubts cause you to feel like you need to distance yourself from God or fellow Christians. Instead, doubt can be a powerful way to deepen your faith. It can even be a God-given gift to disrupt false beliefs and help you experience a closer relationship with Him.
If you’re experiencing doubt, you’re not alone. Find a friend or trusted person to share your thoughts and feelings with. Don’t struggle on your own.
For more on giving yourself permission to doubt, check out this article.