Let’s talk about doubt.
Not the “oops, I had a moment” kind of doubt.
Not the “I just need to have more faith” version, either.
I’m talking about the kind of doubt that feels like you’re shouting prayers into a void. Where God feels quiet, distant or completely absent. The kind of doubt that makes you wonder if He forgot about you, while everyone else seems to be walking in clarity and fire.
Yeah. That kind of doubt.
This post isn’t going to fix it. That’s not the goal.
I just want to give a voice to the wilderness, to that in-between space where you feel stuck and aren’t sure what faith even looks like anymore.
Let’s talk about it.
Doubt Isn’t Failure
We’ve got this idea that doubt disqualifies us. That if we’re not on fire 24/7, we must be doing something wrong.
But Scripture tells a different story.
Let’s look at Psalm 13:1–6 (ESV):
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
David was not okay. He was raw, grieving, and doubting and he brought that full mess to God. That’s not failure. That’s faith in motion.
God’s Not Afraid of Your Honesty
He already knows.
We act like we have to protect God from our emotions. But He’s not threatened by your doubt. He doesn’t withdraw when you question. In fact, that’s often where He meets you most intimately.
Let’s go to Habakkuk 1:1–4 (ESV):
O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?
Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong?
That’s not lighthearted questioning that’s spiritual anguish.
And guess what? God didn’t smite Habakkuk for it.
Doubters Are in Good Company
David. Habakkuk. Job. Even Thomas.
We’ve labeled him “Doubting Thomas” like that’s a shameful thing, but all he did was ask for the same proof everyone else already got. And Jesus showed up with scars still visible, not to scold him, but to show him.
Jesus made room for Thomas’s doubt. Why shouldn’t we?
What the Church Gets Wrong
Let’s be real: church culture doesn’t always handle doubt well.
We’ve been told to “just trust God” or “have more faith” when what we needed was someone to sit in the silence with us and say, “You’re not crazy. You’re hurting.”
I grew up in a culture that made it feel bad to ask questions. And as someone who’s always had a million questions, I’ve had to unlearn the belief that curiosity equals rebellion.
I’m studying Bible Exposition now, and I plan to go into apologetics because I want to help people wrestle well. I want to create space for honest doubt not shame-filled silence.
When God Feels Quiet
Let’s look at Job 23:8–10 (ESV):
Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him…
But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.
Even when Job couldn’t feel God, he trusted that God still saw him.
That’s the tension.
Living in silence, but still staying.
Being honest, but still anchored.
If your prayer life feels distracted or dry, Fervent by Priscilla Shirer is a must-read. It’s not fluffy, it’s a straight-up battle plan for getting strategic and intentional in prayer. Practical, powerful, and rooted in Scripture. Highly recommend. Grab it here.
What to Do When You’re Doubting
If you’re there right now, if it’s quiet, dry, or feels like God packed up and left, you’re not broken. But let’s talk about what you can do in this season:
1. Keep Showing Up in the Word
Even if it feels like empty jargon. Even if nothing “hits.” The Word is still living and active, even when your heart feels numb.
2. Pray Honestly
Not performative prayers. Real ones.
“God, this sucks.”
“I don’t get it.”
“God, are You even here?”
Those count.
3. Don’t Do This Alone
Find people who sit with you in the silence, who don’t throw clichés at your pain. I’m grateful for friends who let me cry, rage, and wrestle, then gently ask, “Okay…what now?”
Hold the Tension
Let’s circle back to the end of Habakkuk 3:17–19 (ESV):
Though the fig tree should not blossom… yet I will rejoice in the Lord… God, the Lord, is my strength.
And back to Psalm 13, where David starts with “How long, O Lord?” but ends with “I will sing to the Lord.”
They didn’t get answers.
They didn’t get fixes.
But they remembered who God was even when their life didn’t reflect it yet.
That’s faith.
Your Turn: Write Your Own Psalm
This week, I want to challenge you:
✍️ Write your own version of Psalm 13.
Don’t edit it. Don’t make it cute.
Just be honest with God.
Pour it all out and then, even if it feels like a whisper, remind yourself of who He is.
If you want to share it, DM me on Instagram @karleighwalkswithjesus or email me at karleighwalksjesus@gmail.com. I’d be honored to sit in it with you.
Final Thoughts
You’re not forgotten. You are not failing. You are not too messy.
Your questions might be the starting place of a deeper, stronger, more unshakable faith than you’ve ever known.
So don’t walk away. Don’t shut down. Keep coming back.
And if you’re feeling distant from God but want help reconnecting through prayer, grab my free prayer journal. It’s five days of simple prompts to help you talk to God when you don’t know what to say.
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