Can you have doubts about God and his loving purposes and still be a Christian?

The Rev. Julyan Drew and myself have in recent sermons (quite coincidentally) both referred to Thomas (John 21:24 -26). Please consider the following and respond with your own thoughts. Thanks!!

The following is an extract from Rev Drew's sermon.

Then there’s Thomas. Thomas called Didymus. Except Thomas comes from the Aramaic Te’oma which means twin, as does Didymus in Greek. Poor old Thomas Thomas, Didymus Didymus, Twin, Twin. Like New York, so good they named him twice. Except he’s not good. He’s doubting Thomas. And doubt’s not good, not in eyes of some Ch’ns. I remember, tho I hold nothing against person who said it, now promoted to glory, a Ch’n asking me once as I struggled with depression that brought me near to suicide: where is your faith. As though having faith would have made me right; or having faith would have prevented me going under in the first place. Would that it were so easy, we’d all go out and just decide to believe and all would be well. Except it’s not like that. And I say thank God for Thomas with his doubts; thank God for Thomas who doubted but hung on in there. Good on you, Didymus. “We are called, not only to believe with certainty, but also doubt with integrity, said someone. “ There lives more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds,” said Alfred Lord Tennyson while Tillich said, “Doubt is not the opposite of faith but an element of faith.”

Here is an extract from my own sermon (read Nathaniel's story at John 1:43-49)

I would like to conclude if I may with an observation about Nathaniel and Thomas. Nathaniel and particularly Thomas can be criticised for their lack of belief, lack of faith, but what I admire about both individuals is that actually they were open to the possibility the Jesus was the one talked about by Moses and the Prophets, that Jesus bodily rose from the dead. And they responded wholeheartedly when they were confronted with the truth.

The stories of Nathaniel and Thomas give me hope, because too be honest, my faith in God in Jesus is not always what it should be. Or what I would like it to be. I find it hard to always accept that God will work for good to those that love him. There are a lot of questions a lot of doubts about God and his purpose that is prompted through personal experience and observations about what happens in the world.

Yet the irony of this is that it actually drives me to God. I find myself stripping away layers of theology and tradition that can mask God. I attempt to get to the heart of God himself. And do you what I find him and then that’s when healing and wholeness often takes place.

I look forward to your replies and thoughts.

God's Shalom to you and your loved ones,

Stephen