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WOWhen our 10-year-old daughter told my husband and me that she wasn’t sure she believed in God…
…we immediately told her:
“That’s normal. We’ve wondered the same thing.”
We didn’t shame her or make her feel bad or abnormal.
We didn’t “affirm” her.
We didn’t “bear our testimony” to try and convince her.
We normalized the process.
Because questioning the existence of God isn’t a bad thing.
In fact, I would argue, it’s a sign of spiritual maturity.
It may not be possible to TRULY believe — in the depths of your soul — in the Living God, if you haven’t questioned — in the depths of your soul — His actual existence.
So I view her questioning as spiritual precociousness and maturity at a young age.
She’s now almost 12, and it’s been beautiful to see her spiritual journey over the past two years.
Because of how we responded she feels comfortable asking the hard questions.
She knows we won’t judge her — and that we’ll give real answers.
She feels comfortable sharing her honest opinions with us — like “Church is boring” or “God seems harsh sometimes”
And that’s true spiritual progress. Not some testimony or statement of belief that seems certain and unwavering.
Real faith is filled with doubts.
Real faith is a “wrestle with God”
(Gen 32:22-32)
Yesterday she was learning “Come Thou Fount” on the flute and is planning to do a duet with her little sister singing the words.
And of course the words of the song led to more questions about God’s nature.
This is how natural, authentic faith unfolds — in the daily moments of life.
Especially when parents model the way.
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@greg.denning
@worldschoolfamily
