The Value of Doubt and Action

This summer has taught me few lessons and none more than this: there is an extereme value in doubt and action. The lesson has been in my heart and in the reading that I have done this summer. Don't worry I will try to clarify this as much as I can.

Doubt is a healthy thing when it does not lead to despair, but leads instead to seeking. When a person has honest doubts about beliefs and looks to the evidence for answers will look finding answers. Take belief in God, or for that matter disbelief in the idea of god, as a prime example. Many people do not believe in God because they do not know Him or have not met Him through the only path possible to learn about Him. The only one who knows the Father is the Son and any one who the Son choses to reveal Him to (cf. Mt. 11:27). How than are we to come to know Jesus? There is only one place where we can find about who Christ is, that is in the New Testament of the Bible. Jesus said "I and the Father are one" (Jn. 10:30). Than is it not true that the only way that we can know the Father is through the Son who came into the world. So in the pages of the New Testament we find Christ and through Him we meet the Father. It is through doubt that we will seek and we are told all who seek will find (see Mt. 7:7). Out of doubt we will be led to seeking the truth. These are what lead us to truth. Much of this summer I have felt like Aragon at the breaking of the Fellowship, being a poor chooser and all of the choices have gone wrong. This is where the need of action comes into this. This is taught in the Lord of the Rings best I think. Even when there is doubt and uncertianity in their actions. As Aragon knew, so we must learn, that when we make a choice we must follow it to the end and in faith. All of the fellowship is pulled into different directions and they do not know what will come of their journey, but they are being guided by a power greater than all of the powers in the world to the end that is for the greatest good, the distruction of the one ring. All of the fellowship are helping to do this task, so must we realize that all who act in faith of Christ bring salvation to the world. Yes, we are the messengers who carry hope into the world. Just as Frodo carried the fools hope for all and others help him with the task, so to do we carry in each action a participation of the salvation of the world that Christ alone achieved on Calavery. I could keep going about this, but I do not think that it would get any clearer. If you really want it to be totally clear read The Lord of the Rings trilogy paying close attention to the details, but also read George MacDonald's The Curate of Glaston trilogy. An irony in finding these older authors I have found lessons deeper than anything I ever thought to find.