In our spiritual journeys, we all encounter seasons of doubt and uncertainty. Whether you're grappling with questions about your faith or trying to support someone who is, the approach we take is profoundly important. The Book of Jude, after issuing strong warnings about false teachers and emphasizing the importance of standing firm in truth, concludes with a gentle message that speaks directly to our hearts: "Be merciful to those who doubt."

When someone is doubting, our natural responses can be problematic. We might become uncomfortable with their questions, rush to argue them back to belief, shame them, or avoid them altogether. But Jude offers a different approach—one of mercy.

Mercy slows us down. Mercy listens. Mercy leans into the heart.

Faith in Jesus isn't just something we believe; it's something we carry to those who are barely holding on. Many of us are desperate before the Lord, knowing He has all the answers and His words are truth. Yet others carry secret questions, private disappointments, or spiritual exhaustion that no one else sees.

Often, we treat faith as if it's only about what we believe. However, Jude reminds us that faith is practical—it has action. Someone near you—at work, in your neighborhood, or even in your family—might be barely holding on to hope. They don't need perfect answers; they need compassion wrapped in courage.

They need mercy that moves—a love that sees them, steps toward them, and doesn't let fear or judgment get in the way.

How Should We Show Mercy to Those Who Doubt?
Jude writes: "Have mercy on those who doubt. Save others by snatching them out of the fire. To others, show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh."

The word "mercy" here doesn't mean passive pity—it's active compassion. It's gut-level empathy toward someone God loves. When Jude talks about doubt, he's referring to those who hesitate, waver, or struggle internally. These doubters aren't defiant skeptics trying to destroy the church; they're torn, uncertain, and wrestling.

They may be sitting in church with questions no one seems to answer. They've seen church hurt, watched leaders fall, heard clichés in response to complex questions, and grown tired of church being out of touch.

How Do We Distinguish Between Deceivers and the Deceived?
We must distinguish between those who deceive and those who are deceived. Jude knows the difference between wolves and wanderers—some people aren't spiritual predators; they're just spiritually exhausted.

Think about your friend who says, "I don't know if I believe this anymore." Maybe they've seen too much hypocrisy, are trying to reconcile faith trauma, or feel the church has made their questions feel like betrayal.

Be their lifeline. You can't lead someone to Jesus if you're too busy dismissing them. You don't have to solve all their doubts over one cup of coffee—just sit down, open your ears, close your mouth, and listen. Let them know they're not alone or unloved.

What Does "Snatching Others from the Fire" Mean?
Jude raises the intensity when he says, "Save others by snatching them from the fire." This isn't just about doubt anymore—it's about someone heading toward destruction. The word "snatching" conveys urgency, a violent grabbing.

Who's in the fire? Maybe it's a young adult falling into addictive patterns, a friend immersed in toxic thoughts, or a student more distracted by social media than God's Word.

Don't just pray from a distance—step in with courage and care. Have that awkward conversation, make that phone call, speak truth drenched in love. This isn't a casual call to care; it's a command to act. Real love is inconvenient, intentional, and incredibly urgent.

Jude adds wisdom to his instruction: "To others, show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh." This isn't a fear of the person, but an awareness of spiritual compromise. Don't hate the person, but don't pretend sin isn't toxic either.

There's a balance: Don't get so relational that you lose your grip on truth, but don't get so theological that you lose your heart for people. This is relational theology—mercy with fear.

Remember: Conviction without compassion becomes cruelty. Compassion without conviction becomes compromise.

Who Keeps Us When We're Struggling?
What happens when we need rescue? When do our hands get tired and our prayers become weaker? Jude points us upward to Christ:

"To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."

Jude finishes not with more instructions but with worship. The word "keep" here isn't about passive watching—it's active guarding, like shepherds watching flocks or soldiers guarding a city gate. God doesn't stand with folded arms but with extended arms.

He keeps us from stumbling, not meaning we'll never trip, but that we'll never fall beyond Jesus's reach. Even in your mess, God is there, giving mercy, keeping you within arm's reach. The grace that called you is the grace that keeps you.

What Does This Look Like in Daily Life?
On a regular Tuesday, this looks like:

• Choosing compassion over correction when a friend struggles
• Inviting someone to coffee instead of forwarding them a podcast
• Praying for the person you almost gave up on

When your faith feels thin, your prayers feel dry, and you're too tired to hold it all together, grace abounds. Grace has you tight. As Philippians 1:6 says, "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

You may feel unfinished, but you're being carried to the finish.

How Does Jesus Present Us to the Father?
Jude says Jesus will "present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy." This is stunning—not only does God keep you, but He delights to present you flawless.

This "presenting" is legal language—making someone stand before the judge blameless, not guilty, not ashamed. Jesus doesn't drag you in saying, "I know he looks like junk, but he has a good personality." No, you're pure, spotless, and blameless before the Father because Jesus paid the price for your sin.

We live in a world of unfinished stories—unanswered prayers, unhealed wounds, unresolved questions, and undone dreams. But Jude assures us God will finish what He starts.

If you feel like a mess today, if you're tired of wondering if you're enough, if shame follows you like a shadow casting doubt and death, let this truth echo in your soul: Grace isn't just the beginning—it's the whole journey.

This week, consider these questions:

• Who in my life is doubting or struggling that needs mercy rather than arguments?
• How can I show active compassion rather than passive pity to someone who is questioning their faith?
• In what areas am I trying to be the savior rather than the rescuer in someone's life?
• Where do I need to rest in God's grace rather than my own strength?

Remember these words: "I will be a person of mercy, reaching for others while holding tight to truth. I will rest in grace, not in my strength, but in His. I believe God isn't afraid of my doubts. I will trust His faithfulness. I will keep showing up because the One who calls me is faithful, and He is not done."

Mercy may move us, but grace keeps us.