Doubt

“‘For this saying you may go your way…” (Mark 7:29).

Syrophoenician Woman (Unknown)

I have been reflecting on doubt.  If they say that faith can move mountains, then surely the reverse applies, and a lack of faith can move nothing.  And what is a reverse of faith?  Well – it is doubt…

And I have been thinking about what doubt really does.  Doubt takes away the confidence of knowing that a certain outcome will occur.  After all, if a person has doubt that means that not only can they not move mountains, but they cannot even move the smallest of things.  If a person has doubt they will not be able to get out of bed in the morning.  Think only of crippling anxiety and depression…  A person who is experiencing an episode of anxiety is almost paralysed by doubt.  They are so worried about what could go wrong that they are unable to make even the smallest move in the direction of their desires…

And that is what a lack of faith is like…

“And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house, and would not have any one know it; yet he could not be hid. But immediately a woman, whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoeni′cian by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, ‘Let the children first be fed, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.’ But she answered him, ‘Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.’ And he said to her, ‘For this saying you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.’ And she went home, and found the child lying in bed, and the demon gone.” (Mark 7:24-30).

And in that story from the Gospel, I could see a woman without any doubt.  She would have been ridiculed and reviled in her village.  People would have gossiped about her and micked her.  People would have criticised her lack of dignity.  They would have judged her.  They would have blamed her sinfulness for the condition of her daughter.  And yet, she had no doubt at all.  She did not doubt that Christ would help her.  She was willing to risk everything – even her very dignity and reputation – in the middle of a crowded street.  She was willing to sacrifice her pride.  Because she knew that God would help her and that was all she cared about…

And I have been thinking about that today.  For it seems that if I could just learn to pray like the Greek woman, without any doubt at all, my God would turn to me and say… “‘For this saying you may go your way…” (Mark 7:29).

And that seems to me such a miracle today, that I have only to pray for the Grace to have a Faith like that!

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.