Scripture Library · Doubt and faith · KJV

Bible Verses About Doubt and Faith (KJV) + A Prayer When God Feels Silent

“Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” If you are wrestling with doubt or God feels silent, you are in good company. These 14 passages from the King James Bible include honest questions from Thomas, David, Habakkuk and John the Baptist, and the patient way God answered each of them.

14 Bible verses about doubt and faith

What if I am not sure I believe, or God seems silent?

Mark 9:21-24KJV

21And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. 22And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. 23Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

A father cries out: I believe; help my unbelief.Read in context →

John 20:24-29KJV

24But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Thomas doubts until he sees; Jesus blesses those who believe without seeing.Read in context →

Matthew 14:25-33KJV

25And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

Peter walks on water, sinks in doubt, and is caught by Jesus.Read in context →

Hebrews 11:1-6KJV

1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2For by it the elders obtained a good report. 3Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. 4By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. 5By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Faith is assurance of what we hope for; without it we cannot please God.Read in context →

Psalm 13KJV

1How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? 2How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? 3Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; 4Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. 5But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. 6I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

How long, O Lord? A prayer that moves from complaint to trust.Read in context →

Psalm 73KJV

1Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. 2But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. 3For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. 5They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. 6Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. 7Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. 8They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. 9They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. 10Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. 11And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? 12Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Keep reading →

Asaph nearly loses his footing over the prosperity of the wicked, until he enters God's sanctuary.Read in context →

Habakkuk 1:2-5; 3:17-19KJV

1:2O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! 1:3Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention. 1:4Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. 1:5Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you. … 3:17Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 3:18Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 3:19The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

The prophet questions God, then chooses to rejoice even if everything fails.Read in context →

Matthew 11:2-6KJV

2Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? 4Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

John the Baptist, in prison, asks whether Jesus is really the one.Read in context →

Jude 22KJV

22And of some have compassion, making a difference:

Have mercy on those who doubt.Read in context →

James 1:5-8KJV

5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Ask God for wisdom in faith; He gives generously without reproach.Read in context →

Romans 10:17KJV

17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.Read in context →

Luke 24:13-35KJV

13And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. Keep reading →

Two discouraged disciples meet the risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus.Read in context →

Isaiah 55:8-9KJV

8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours.Read in context →

2 Corinthians 5:7KJV

7(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

We walk by faith, not by sight.Read in context →

A prayer for faith in seasons of doubt

Pray it slowly, in your own words if you like.

Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. Some days I am not sure what I believe, and some days You feel far away. I am bringing my questions to You instead of hiding them.

You met Thomas in his doubt and caught Peter when he sank. Meet me where I am. Speak through Your Word, because faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Even when I cannot see, help me walk by faith. Like Habakkuk, let me rejoice in You though the fig tree does not blossom. Hold onto me when my grip is weak. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

What the Bible says about doubt

Is it a sin to doubt God?

Doubt is not the same as unbelief. Many faithful people in Scripture doubted: Thomas, John the Baptist in prison (Matthew 11:2-6), and the psalmists. Jude 22 tells believers to have compassion on those who doubt. What matters is bringing doubt to God, as the father in Mark 9:24 did.

What does the Bible say about faith?

Hebrews 11:1 defines it: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is trust in God based on who He has shown Himself to be. It grows by hearing His Word (Romans 10:17) and is lived out day by day: “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

What should I do when God seems silent?

Pray honestly, as David did in Psalm 13: “How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD?” Keep reading Scripture, stay connected to other believers, and remember what God has done before. Psalm 73 shows a writer whose perspective changed when he “went into the sanctuary of God.”

How can I strengthen my faith?

Ask God for wisdom without wavering (James 1:5-8), spend time in His Word, and look for Jesus in the Scriptures the way He opened them to the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). Faith often grows in small, steady steps rather than sudden leaps.

More Bible verses by topic

Looking for Scripture on something else? The Scripture Library gathers 255 passages around the struggles and questions people actually bring to God.

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (public domain).