This paper explores the relationship between emotionally rooted hesitations and belief in Christian theism. I will address how toying with sin, the moral failure of an authority figure, an absent or abusive father figure, divorce and family dysfunction, harboring bitterness, and unfiltered worry can trigger a potential breeding ground for religious doubt. Grasping how these factors can give rise to emotionally driven doubts that are often misdiagnosed as cognitive objections effectively equips the apologist to navigate these quandaries. I will argue why the practices of examining emotional investments (Matt. 6:19-24, Jn. 3:19-21), exercising Christo-centric self-talk (Jn. 16:33), and applying Pauline cognitive coaching (Phil. 4:4-9) play a part in overcoming these less-than-obvious hesitations about God and thus assist in guiding doubters to strong confidence in Christian theism.
In large part, most 21st-century Christian works on doubt live strictly in the analytical or the emotive with limited crossover. On the one hand, pastoral works on this topic primarily hinge on inspirational stories and anecdotes with minimal substantive cognitive engagement. On the other hand, apologetics resources offer scintillating arguments with scant reference to the likely emotional underpinnings of the hesitations.
In conclusion, the doubt triggers presented in this paper are widely applicable beyond a highly educated, Western setting, which is the target audience of most apologetics works. My role as a professor of apologetics and lead pastor of Grace Fellowship: A Church for All Nations, a large, multicultural church in South Florida representing 74 nations, lends itself to a unique perspective on how to guide a diversity of doubters through the labyrinth of hesitation.