I read this in my bible study today...thought I'd share.
When most of the disciples first saw Jesus alive after his crucifixion, Thomas had not been with them. When the other disciples told him about the fact of the Resurrection, Thomas replied, "I won't believe it unless I see". Some of us are skeptical like Thomas was. We find it very easy to doubt what we cannot see or touch. The word doubt implies uncertainty, not knowing which way to take. Doubt itself is a choice, a matter of the will. Thomas told the disciples, "I won't." That was a choice Thomas made. He chose not to believe that Jesus had actually risen. Thomas finnaly did see the risen Christ, who said to him, "Don't be faithless any longer. Believe!" When Jesus called Thomas to believe, he appealed to Thomas's will.
Thomas was not the only disciple who doubted. When Jesus met the disciples for the last time before his ascension, the Bible says, "When they saw him, they worshiped him -- but some of them still doubted!" (Matthew 28:17). And this after all the resurrection appearances.
Perhaps we too are suspicious by nature, wanting hard evidence before we'll go out on a limb about anything. We choose to believe what we believe; we choose to doubt what we want to doubt. The enemies of Jesus chose to deny his resurrection; they chose to believe that Jesus was still dead, even though Jesus' body had disappeared while guarded by their own guards! Most of Jesus' followers, however, chose to take at face value the reality of Jesus' resurrected presence among them. They chose to believe, and that belief turned those frightened followers into fearless evangelists.
Choosing to believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ leads to joy, peace, and the experience of his risen life in us. The living Christ is the biggest reason we tell others about our faith. Paul, writing to the Corinthians, said, "If Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless" (1 Corinthians 15:17). No other religion in the world boasts that its founder was actually God who became a man, was killed, yet rose again from the dead. Such claims should certainly be investigated! Even if you are skeptical by nature, like Thomas was, it is safe to investigate your doubts by taking them directly to Christ. Let him help you choose to believe!
Have a great day!!
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