When we were young, we trusted what others told us. As we grew older, we began to recognize deceit and dishonesty, and our trust faded. While healthy skepticism has its place, we still need strong faith to grow in our relationships, especially in our relationship with God.
Trust becomes difficult when someone lets us down. None of us are perfect, so we will all disappoint others at some point. It hurts even more when a loved one causes that pain. Betrayal lingers, and it can make trusting anyone again feel nearly impossible.
At times, people feel that God has let them down. We go to church each week, pray regularly, and try to live as faithful Christians. Then we lose a loved one or face unexpected hardship. Some may even say, “God, if this is how you treat your friends, I would hate to see how you treat your enemies.” Feelings of anger and disappointment are natural. Still, God is not a flawed human who makes mistakes. He understands us completely and knows what we truly need. We must trust Him in both good times and difficult ones.
The Apostle Thomas likely felt this same disappointment. He left everything behind to follow Jesus and expected Him to always be there. When Jesus died on the cross, Thomas may have felt abandoned. Then Jesus appeared to the other Apostles while Thomas was away. Thomas may have felt hurt that Jesus did not wait for him. That pain likely made it harder for him to believe in the Resurrection.
We should not judge Thomas too harshly. Many of the other Apostles, and even we ourselves, might have reacted the same way. Peter also failed Jesus when he denied Him. Fear often leads people to act in ways they later regret. However, Jesus later put His trust in Peter by making him the first pope and giving him the keys to the kingdom.
We live in a broken world, and suffering will happen. Those who follow Jesus are not spared from hardship. Nearly all of the Apostles were martyred, even though they were closest to Him. Jesus Himself suffered greatly and died on the cross, yet His faith never wavered.
Jesus conquered death and opened the gates of Heaven. If we hope to follow Him there, we must trust Him to lead us. The path will not be easy, and we will fall along the way. What matters most is that we rise again, place our trust in Him, and continue forward toward eternal happiness.
