Are you a doubting Thomas?
John 20:24-29 tells us the story of the disciples relaying to Thomas that they had seen the Lord, but Thomas said, “Unless I see…I will not believe.” Then Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Do we believe what the Word says and live accordingly, or do we trust our senses and physical experiences instead?
On February 14, 2024, my husband, Geoff, and I visited a neighbor’s house to see an Australian Shepherd available for adoption. The woman, a friend of a friend, had 15 dogs, was recently diagnosed with cancer, and wanted to rehome one. I had been hoping to find a female Blue Aussie puppy to join us, but they were costly, so I prayed for God's help. The situation looked promising because she had a one-year-old puppy named Little Lady, who possessed the qualities we were looking for. The owner brought her over the next evening, and we decided to try her out to see how she would get along with our other Australian Shepherd, Penny.
I had her inside for about an hour, then she started to tinkle a little here and there, so I assumed she needed to go to the bathroom. I put a harness and leash on her because I didn’t know what she would do. As soon as I set her down on the grass, she rolled violently, and before I could grab her, she broke free from her harness and bolted into the night. My heart sank as I realized we had coyotes all around us. I called her owner, who arrived immediately to help search. We prayed, cried, and drove down every street trying to find her. Nothing. My husband was away visiting his parents in Virginia at the time. I was alone during this difficult period. I kept searching, sang praises to God, and clung to Scripture, believing she would be found alive and safe.
After five hours, I decided to call it a night. I woke up at dawn to make flyers and posted them on every door and business nearby. If you pray to get to know your neighbors and community, watch out, because you never know how that prayer will be answered. Over the next two days, I spoke with about fifty people. We also shared her information online, hoping that someone would see it and help us reunite.
Doubting Like Thomas
That night, I put on my night gear and ventured into the dark woods to continue my search. I saw numerous coyotes and challenged them to confront me. I was determined. We live on 13 acres, with an additional 100 acres surrounding us that also needed searching. On my way out, I encountered a neighbor who said, “Oh, I heard a pack of coyotes when she got loose, so I’m sure she was torn apart.” My heart dropped. He added, “You shouldn’t be out here tonight; I would go home and try again tomorrow.”
I followed his advice and walked home, fighting back tears until I reached my room. Once inside, I completely broke down, crying and screaming at God. “WHY, GOD???!!! She was so beautiful, and now she’s gone! Why did this have to happen? I’m so angry right now!” I called Geoff, and he heard my screams and tears. He decided to cut his trip short and come back home. As soon as I finished the call, God asked me, “How do you know she’s dead? Have you seen her body?” “Well, no.” I fell asleep, worn out. The next day, I looked everywhere for a body, but I never found one. Geoff helped me search, but we found nothing.
What Do You Trust More: Human Words or God’s Words?
“God, I just need something. Is she dead or alive?” Around 9:00 p.m. that evening, I received a call from her owner, saying, “Someone saw her, she’s halfway between your house and mine!” Praise God! She’s alive! At that moment, I felt God speak to me, “You trusted a human's word over Mine.” “Oh, Father, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”
We hurried out the door to aid in the search. There was nothing at first, but now we had hope. I believed that because she was alive, God would make sure she returned home safely. The following day, I was drained from 72 hours of adrenaline. I received a call from her owner: “A search and rescue team contacted me and wants to help find her.” What a relief! More help in the search. They set traps that day and deployed a team with walkie-talkies in the area where she was last seen. The very next day, they spotted her. After several hours of pursuit, she was finally reunited with her owner, unharmed. I went from feeling extremely low to incredibly high in just four days.
As I reflect on this experience, I began this trial by praising God that He would bring her home safely, quoting Scripture, and encouraging her owner not to lose hope, assuring her that she would be found alive and well. However, midway through, I chose to believe a person’s words over God's, and I lost faith. God gently reminded me that, regardless of what I experience or what others say, I must trust in Him and His Word above all else. What does God’s Word say about Him? He loves us and cares for the animals as well. As His children, He desires to bless us with good things. Just as He shut the mouths of lions for Daniel, He also closed the mouths of coyotes for Little Lady. Even if we feel discouraged, He remains on the throne and is gracious to us. He instructs us not to fear, stress, or doubt His goodness.
Call to Action
Are there any situations in your life that feel hopeless from a worldly perspective? I encourage you to view them through spiritual eyes and keep that perspective. Only then will you recognize God's unseen work, bringing abundant blessings into your life. These blessings will manifest in the physical world, but only if you maintain faith and never lose hope.
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:2-3, 6-8).
We must choose to believe what the Word says and walk accordingly, trusting that God keeps His Word and cannot lie. Remember, God’s ways are much higher than our ways, and we may not understand what is happening around us, but we can rest in the goodness of the Lord each day, trusting that He has our best interests at heart.
All scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
