Trouble Maker Week 10: Wednesday

Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe! John 20:27

Of all the people who doubted Jesus, one of the most recognized and well-known is Jesus’ disciple Thomas. In fact, he is so well known that many people call Him doubting Thomas. In the middle of His doubts, Jesus spoke into his doubts and revealed Himself to Thomas. He speaks into our doubts today, too, when we come to Him, and He reveals Himself. He may not always give us the answers, but He always promises His presence. 

John 20 tells us that when Jesus appeared to His disciples, Thomas was not with them. Of course, the rest of Jesus’ disciples told him they had seen Jesus, and he responded as many of us would have. He doubted. He said to them, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side” (verse 27). Thomas had a hard time believing that they had actually seen Jesus. Most of us would have had a difficult time believing them, too. Imagine Thomas’ surprise when 8 days later, Jesus appeared. Jesus could have scolded Him for doubting. He could have expressed disappointment because Thomas did not believe. Instead, Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” (verse 27). Instead of shaming Thomas and condemning him for his doubt, Jesus told him to put his fingers right where the wounds in His hands were and place his hands on His side where He had been stabbed so that Thomas knew that Jesus had risen from the dead.

This interaction between Jesus and Thomas is beautiful. Jesus made His presence known to Thomas in the middle of His doubts, and He does the same for us. He takes and accepts our doubts without shaming us and reveals Himself to us. He may not always provide direct answers to our questions, but He provides Himself, which is more than enough.

Moving toward action

Take some time right now to reflect. Think about times in the past when you had doubts. Maybe you wondered what God was doing in the middle of your struggles and pain, and you wondered how God was working. Maybe you wondered if Jesus truly is who He says He is. As you think about this time, consider how God made His presence known to you. Journal about this time. How does this reminder give you comfort right now in the middle of the doubts you may have?

Going Deeper

John 20:24-29 (NLT)