Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

 

Dark days, doubts and questions.  Think they have no place in the life of faith?

Sitting on the hills overlooking the Sea of Galilee, Jesus taught people in a talk known as the Sermon on the Mount.  Found in the Bible book of Matthew, Jesus assigns blessings to people with what, in some cases, what we’d call flaws. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3) is where Jesus begins and it’s where each of our own spiritual journeys to relationship with God, starts. Jesus began with poverty of spirit as the place of beginning, showing us that He embraces doubt. Jesus holds space for dark days, and places value on acknowledging and wrestling with questions and doubts.

This is a relief for many of us, including 32-year-old Karissa. She says, “When I read ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit,’ I think of someone with depleted reserves of “being sure.” When I read, ‘for theirs is the kingdom of God,’ what I realize is that I’m not cut off from Christ because of my wobbly belief.” Jesus blessed questioners, demonstrating, that like his own disciple, Thomas, we may have a hard time believing.

Jesus also interacted with a struggling father who was desperate for his son to be delivered from an evil spirit. (Mark 9:19-29). “Anything is possible if a person believes,” Jesus said to him and “The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!'”  “Yes, help us too!” we cry.

If your reserves of “being sure” are depleted today, go to Jesus with your unbelief. “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me,” He says in the Bible book of Jeremiah. “I will be found by you” (Jeremiah 19:13, 14a).