There is always occasion for doubt.  It’s inevitable when we have faith.  We can actually embrace doubt as a positive thing if the direction is right.

Doubt can lead us in two directions, perhaps in more, but at least two.
 

1.  Doubt can lead us into the world of imagination.  Imagination is powerful.  It can take us to all sorts of places.  But it can take us to dark places.  It can take us to places where there is no natural light.  Places where the only light is manufactured by forces that want us only to see certain things.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5

If our doubts drive us away from God then they are not healthy.  I remember when my dad died (almost eight years ago at the time of writing) there came such a cloud into my life.  Perhaps because he was not only my natural father but also my spiritual father I felt lost without his words; words that would so very often bring light, wisdom, comfort and direction.  But it was not only that kind of lost feeling that I experienced, but one of doubt (the dark kind of doubt).  Where had he gone?  What had become of him, the real him, that is?  Was heaven real?  Or was there just darkness, a switching off of the light?  This could have become destructive if I had kept on in my thinking along this direction.

2.  Doubt can lead us back into the Bible.  But my doubts actually drove me in a different direction (eventually).  They took me back into scripture.  They took me to places where I read, meditated and prayed.  They took me to a place of dependence upon God in a way that I had never experienced before.  During this time I read this passage (amongst many others) and it thrills me even to read it again and place it within this post;

Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord for ever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

It said that God will bring with Him [Jesus - the Man in Heaven] those who have fallen asleep in Him [my dad, too].  The light came on in my spirit.  The Holy Spirit shone with such brilliance that it moves me to tears just thinking about it now.  I don’t have all the answers, even still, but my eyes are more fixed on Him than ever before.

That God would take the time to strengthen a troubled soul is astonishing.  To secure the walls of my heart against the enemy attack is encouraging.  To love me with an everlasting love…it’s indescribable.

If doubts are directional, then let them thrust us toward God.