Faith - The One Year Devotions for Moms

Faith

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

John 20:27

Although Thomas was one of Jesus’ disciples, he had difficulty believing that Jesus had really risen from the dead. Hence the nickname “Doubting Thomas.”

Thomas was not present when Jesus first appeared to his disciples after the Resurrection. When Thomas heard of Jesus’ appearance, he said he wouldn’t believe it unless he felt Jesus’ hands and side. Seven days later they met, and Jesus invited Thomas to touch his wounds. Thomas’s beautiful response—“My Lord and my God!”—prompted St. Augustine to say that Thomas doubted so that we might believe.

Thomas’s struggle for faith offers us hope. If Jesus showed patience and willingness to help Thomas believe, he will do the same for us. If we or our children struggle with doubts that lead to questions, questions that lead to answers, and answers that lead to belief, then the doubts will have been productive. Doubts that stagnate rather than drive us to think more clearly about our faith tend to be nonproductive and may lead us to stubbornness. We’re wise to beware of “camping out” in our doubts. It’s interesting that in John 20:29, Jesus offered “extra credit” to the person who believes without seeing: “Then Jesus told him, ‘You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway.’ ” Because we have God’s Word and the witness of people like Thomas, we’re inspired to believe.

Father,

We’re grateful for your patience with Thomas and your patience with us when we doubt. Thank you that Thomas’s experience helps us to believe in you. Amen.