How to Help a Friend Kick Out Doubt

Do you have a friend or family member walking through a season of doubt? Here are ten ways you can walk beside them and help build their faith. 

1. Listen without judgment: Offer a safe space for your friend to share their thoughts and doubts without fear of being judged or dismissed. Create an environment where they feel comfortable discussing their doubts openly, without pressure to have everything figured out.

2. Pray with and for them: Lift them up in prayer, asking for strength, clarity, and peace during their time of doubt. Pray with them. Pray for them. This is a time when your faith can carry them.

3. Share your doubt journey: Share your own struggle with times of doubting God. Let them know you’ve been there yourself and what you did to come through your doubt with stronger faith.

4. Send encouragement: When you encourage someone, you are giving them the courage to not give up. Send them an encouraging text throughout the week. Share scriptures to remind them of the truth. Your note will remind them that they are not alone.

5. Remind them of God’s faithfulness: When a person is overcome with doubt, they tend to forget the faithfulness of God. Point out the times God did answer prayers—all the times He did come through for them. Help them see God moving in their past.

6. Be patient: Understand that overcoming doubt is a process and offer patience as they navigate through their emotions. Simply being present and spending time with them can offer comfort and reassurance.

7. Get them to church: Encourage them to stay connected with a community of faith. They may not feel like going to church, so offer to pick them up, meet them there, and sit with them. Getting in an atmosphere of faith will help build their faith.

8. Recommend resources: Suggest books, podcasts, or sermons that address doubt and faith in a way that might resonate with them. Offer to study Scripture together. Reading and discussing passages that focus on faith and trust will help them build back what’s missing.

9. Help them find a mentor or counselor: If appropriate, suggest they speak with someone experienced in guiding others through doubt, such as a pastor or counselor.

10. Respect their journey: Understand that their path to overcoming doubt may look different from yours, and that’s OK. Give them the time they need.

Want to dive deeper? Order Pastor Todd’s book, Don’t Let Doubt Take You Out.