Welcome back to the podcast with long-time author and Pastor John Piper.

Well, there is an atheistic tendency within every heart, my heart, your heart, even in your heart, Pastor John.

You said this when we looked at this powerful atheistic tendency in every human heart,

about a year ago in APJ in 1980, which is a sobering episode.

So, no surprise, we frequently get emails from listeners struggling with doubt and unbelief,

like James, a listener who writes us this, Dear Pastor John.

I remember listening to your biography of William Cooper some years ago.

It has stayed with me all these years later. There's something about his dark struggle that,

in my own way, I can relate to. For about 10 years now, it looks as though I've lost my faith.

But I haven't been successful in completely shutting out the nagging questions and doubts.

The struggle appears to be in believing there's a true narrative of how things are, while also

believing there's no way of little old me figuring all that out, especially when the

best of the best within various academic disciplines disagree on these matters.

So I find myself in this agnostic no man's

land. It feels like an intellectually honest position, just not an overly satisfying one. The questions

and doubts remain so I'm a little struck on how then to make any progress and would love to

listen to any advice you might have for me.

Perhaps God will use a few prayerful observations that I make from Scripture to awaken

some new perspective that may help James get unstuck. So that's my prayer as we begin.

James, you say, for about 10 years now, it looks as though I've lost my faith.

Now, to this, let me respond with 2 Peter chapter 3, verse 17 it says take care that you are not carried away with the error of

lawless people and lose your own stability now here's a warning to take care that is to guard against.

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