Why You're Doubting God: Diagnosing Factual, Volitional, & Emotional Doubt

Are you experiencing a crisis of faith or navigating faith deconstruction? You are not alone. In this deep dive, we explore the psychology of religious doubt, breaking down the three distinct species of doubt: factual doubt, volitional doubt, and emotional doubt.Discover why questioning your beliefs isn't a sin or the opposite of faith, but rather an opportunity for a deeper, more resilient understanding. We unpack Gary Habermas's "Thomas Factor," the lost biblical practice of lament, and how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help stop the endless "what-if" anxiety loops that plague our spiritual lives. Whether you are dealing with severe church hurt, intellectual questions, or pure emotional and physical exhaustion (like the Prophet Elijah), this episode provides a practical toolkit for navigating your dark night of the soul.In this episode, we cover:How the modern church stigmatizes doubt and conflates God with human institutions.The critical differences between factual (intellectual) doubt, volitional (willful) doubt, and emotional (anxiety-driven) doubt.Why physical burnout and sleep deprivation are often the root causes of spiritual crises.The 3-step process of biblical lament and why it's a profound act of faith to yell at God.Practical CBT strategies to catch and replace the internal lies fueling your emotional doubt.0:00 The terrifying feeling of the "Dark Night of the Soul"1:40 The stigma of doubt in the modern church2:55 Gary Habermas's "The Thomas Factor" & 3 Species of Doubt4:10 Diagnosing Factual Doubt (The Intellectual Crisis)5:20 Diagnosing Volitional Doubt (A Crisis of the Will)7:10 Diagnosing Emotional Doubt (The Anxiety Loop)10:30 The physical roots of spiritual doubt: The Story of Elijah12:15 Deconstruction, Church wounds, and Conflation14:50 The lost tool of Biblical Lament16:30 How to safely express anger at God18:20 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for emotional doubt20:10 Doubt as a tunnel to a deeper, authentic faithfaith deconstruction, religious doubt, christian doubt, dark night of the soul, gary habermas the thomas factor, factual doubt, emotional doubt, volitional doubt, church hurt, biblical lament, religious trauma, cognitive behavioral therapy for faith, spiritual burnout, elijah and depression, rebuilding faith, exvangelical, questioning god, apologetics, christian podcast, spiritual crisis#FaithDeconstruction #ReligiousDoubt #ChristianPodcast #ChurchHurt #SpiritualJourney #Deconstruction #Apologetics #Lament #MentalHealthAndFaith #DarkNightOfTheSoul