From the Manse: A Thought for the Week
Sunday, 8th February 2026
Dear Friends,
This week I spent a few days in Crieff Hydro (I know, I know, this ministry
thing must be so difficult). When I was there, during one of the many
discussion happening, it occurred to me that there is a quiet fear that many
of us carry in our faith journey — the fear of asking the questions that feel
too big, too honest, or too uncomfortable.
Questions like:
What if I don’t really believe this anymore?
Why does God feel silent when I’m hurting?
Does Jesus really love me?
Why do I still struggle with the same doubts, the same sins, the same fears?
Often, we keep these questions to ourselves. We worry that asking them
might make us look weak, unfaithful, or spiritually immature. We assume
that “real faith” means certainty, confidence, and clear answers. But
Scripture tells a very different story.
For the Bible is full of people who questioned God. Abraham asked. Moses
argued. Job protested. The Psalmists cried out in confusion and anger.
Even the disciples — those closest to Jesus — constantly misunderstood,
doubted, and questioned him. And Thomas, so often labelled “doubting,”
was not rejected for his questions — he was invited to touch, to see, and to
believe.
Faith, you see, does not grow through silence. It grows through honesty.
Jesus never rebuked people for asking questions. He rebuked hypocrisy,
pride, and hardness of heart — but never curiosity, doubt, or fear. Over and
over again, Jesus met questions with patience, compassion, and invitation:
“Come and see.” “What are you looking for?” “Why are you afraid?”
Perhaps one of the deepest spiritual truths is this: we do not grow in faith
by pretending we are strong — we grow by being honest about where we
are weak. We must remember that asking questions is not a sign of
unbelief; it is a sign of relationship. We only ask questions of those we
trust. We only wrestle with the things that matter to us. And we only
struggle with faith because faith matters.
The church, therefore, should be the safest place for questions. Not a place
of judgment. Not a place of embarrassment. Not a place of “you should
know better by now.” But a place where doubt can sit beside faith, where
questions can live alongside worship, and where honesty is seen as holy.
With this in mind, this week, I want to encourage you to be brave enough to
ask. Ask God the questions you’ve been carrying quietly. Ask others the
questions you’ve been afraid to voice. Ask yourself the questions that lead
to growth rather than comfort.
Why? Because faith that is never questioned often remains shallow. But
faith that is tested, wrestled with, and explored becomes deeper, stronger,
and more real. Remember God is not threatened by your questions. God is
not offended by your doubts. God is not weakened by your honesty. No, the
God we worship is a God who invites us to seek, to knock, to ask — and
promises that those who do, will find.
So, my prayer this week is that we become a people who are not afraid of
the hard questions, not afraid of the deep conversations, not afraid of
honest faith. Because it is in the asking that we grow. It is in the seeking
that we deepen. And it is in the questioning that faith becomes real.
With every blessing,
Rev Jade