“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Have you ever felt that way about God’s promises? Jesus said, “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly” (10:10) But when trouble or grief strikes, don’t we tend to wonder if abundant life is really possible? Jesus said, “He who follows me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life” (8:12). But how easy is that to believe when we find ourselves groping in the dark, confused by so many conflicting options and opinions?

Yes, it’s easy for us to sympathize with Thomas’ skepticism. And so if Jesus sent His disciples into the world to bear witness to Him (20:21), and if Jesus’ disciples weren’t able to convince Thomas of the truth of the Resurrection, how can any of us hope to succeed at evangelism? How can we possibly persuade anyone else to follow Jesus when it’s so hard for anyone to have faith – and when it is sometimes hard for us to hold on to faith ourselves?

Well, look what happened in both verses 19 and 26: “Jesus came and stood in their midst.” You see, Jesus gave each of His disciples exactly what they needed in order for them to believe in Him. He even gave Thomas the proof that he wanted, right down to the last detail.

And that’s the good news for all of us today. For yes, we are all called to tell one another the truth about Jesus’ power and love; in fact that’s the very reason John wrote his gospel (20:31). But if we are indeed called to present the claims of Christ clearly and unambiguously to the unbelieving world, it’s not our job to produce faith in them – or even in ourselves. That’s what Jesus does, as He comes to each of us, giving us new birth (3:7), and sending His Holy Spirit into our hearts (3:8; 20:22).

So, don’t try to muster up more faith within yourself: just ask Jesus for it. And then pray for Him to give that same kind of faith to others who are still having a hard time trusting in Him. For we can be sure that all those who have not seen Him but have truly trusted in Him will indeed be blessed (20:29) even with the gift of true life in His name (20:31).

John 20:19-31 (NASB)

19 When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples therefore rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21 Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 “If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I shall see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26 And after eight days again His disciples were inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst, and said, “Peace be with you.”
27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.”
28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
30 Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
31 but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.