Struggling in faith

Belief and unbelief live alongside one another. Doubt makes us uncomfortable, the accusation that somehow our faith isn’t quite up to par. Even my friend, a priest, struggles with unbelief. We all do, in great ways and small. But in fact, it is only against the backdrop of unbelief that belief shines, however faintly. Stars always hang in the sky, even though daylight hides their glimmer. In darkest night they boldly shine forth, flickering but firm. Unbelief backgrounds belief, rendering it visible to the naked eye. In this life, no one has perfect vision, just as no one has perfect faith. Belief and unbelief coexist; they don’t cancel each other out. Uneasy neighbors, they are still neighbors.

This message is adapted from “What’s Possible” written by Martha Stortz in the January/February 2012 issue of Gather magazine.