“Let’s just say, I have my doubts. God might look out for you and everyone else, but when it comes to my life, He either doesn’t love me or is too busy to care.” This is a real conversation a young man had with me. It wasn’t that he doubted God’s goodness. It was that he doubted God’s goodness to him.
His questions were the kind we Christians like to avoid. Questions like, “Why does God allow suffering?” and “If God is all-loving and all-powerful, why does He feel so distant?” Instead of taking these head-on, we settle for a short, simple answer: “God has a plan. You just have to trust Him.”
How would we react if we knew what our short, simple answers were actually doing. Many of us believe we’re saying the right thing. After all, God does have a plan and He does tell us to trust Him. However, we have to face the facts. Young adults are leaving the church more and more each year. Teens who have been in the church their entire lives are giving up on their faith because, frankly, they’re not getting answers to their hard questions.
Don’t get me wrong. There are many, many amazing churches out there, but there are also countless young people, and adults alike, who are struggling with uncertainty.
To be honest, I’m tired of watching the people I care about feel bad for asking questions.
I’ve grown up in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I’m involved in Pathfinders and ministry. I love our message and I love that we get to share the hope of Christ with the world. What I wish is that we, as a church, would come together and help each other through our struggles instead of turning away (see Galatians 6:2).
We often buy into the lie that, because we’re followers of Christ, it’s wrong to struggle with doubt and we always have to be okay and content with our circumstances. If we ask for help, it’s often taken as a sign that we don’t truly believe. When are we going to fight these lies with truth?
Jesus didn’t come to the world to condemn it, but to save it (see John 3:17). We’re all broken. We all have struggles. We all need Jesus. What would happen if we started relying on God’s strength to help one another instead of turning the other way?
My challenge to every single one of us is to open our eyes and see what God can do. His Word has answers to the hard questions, but we have to be willing to get our hands dirty. Not one of us is alone in this journey, so let's start working together to accept and share the hope of Christ. It’s time for the church to take a stand and do something! Will you join me?
Kayla Marie Matlock is a young woman who is passionate about helping others and sharing the hope of Christ. She attends the Owosso Church and is the founder of Rescued with Purpose Ministries (rescuedwithpurpose.com).
