Faithful Horizons

Chapter 6: Doubts & Questions

The Bible lay unopened on the nightstand beside Ethan's bed, staring at him like some kind of challenge he wasn't so sure he wanted to face. It had sat there for three days now, ever since Grace had handed it to him after youth group with one of those quick smiles that somehow make something like that feel much less like a demand and a whole lot more like a gift. But it wasn't a gift he'd asked for.

Ethan turned away from it and flung himself onto his bed, staring up at the cracks in the ceiling. His earbuds were in but the music wasn't playing-he'd hit pause 20 minutes ago and hadn't bothered to hit play again. The stillness gnawed at him.

He rolled over and picked up his phone, scrolling aimlessly through social media. His thumb paused as he saw a picture of Grace pop up on his feed, posted by one of her friends. She was standing next to the church youth group leader, laughing, her hand resting lightly on her hip. Ethan studied the picture longer than he cared to admit.

The caption read: "Love this girl and her big heart. (pink hearts) She's a light to everyone around her!"

Ethan scoffed quietly, but something about the words lingered. A light to everyone around her. Was that true? And if it was, why was she wasting her time with someone like him?

He sighed and tossed the phone onto the bed, the screen flipping face down. For the first time that week, his eyes drifted back to the Bible. His fingers twitched with the urge to pick it up, but he held back.

"Not tonight," he muttered.

The next morning, Grace's text came through just as Ethan was getting ready to leave for work.

Grace: Morning! How are you doing?

Ethan stared at the message as he slipped his shoes on. He hesitated, typing and deleting three different responses before finally settling on:

Ethan: Fine. You?

Her reply came almost instantly: "I'm good! Hey, want to grab coffee later? No pressure, but I'll be at our usual spot around 4."

He shook his head, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. She had a way of making everything sound optional, even though he knew full well she expected him to show up.

The café was quiet when Ethan walked in that afternoon, the smell of coffee and freshly baked pastries wrapping around him like a blanket. Grace was already there, sitting at their usual table by the window. She looked up as the door jingled, her face lighting up with a smile.

"You made it!" she said, closing the notebook in front of her.

"Didn't have much else to do," Ethan said, sliding into the seat across from her.

"Well, I'm glad you came." She pushed a second cup of coffee toward him. "I got you a black coffee. I remember you said you don't do all the fancy stuff."

He blinked, surprised she'd remembered something so small. "Thanks."

For a moment, they sat in comfortable silence, the sounds of the café filling the space between them. Grace's notebook sat open on the table, filled with what looked like neat, handwritten notes.

"What's that?" Ethan asked, nodding toward it.

"Oh, just some stuff I'm working on for youth group," she said, flipping the notebook closed. "We're doing a series on questions about faith - like, the tough stuff people don't always talk about."

"Tough stuff?" Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Like why bad things happen," Grace said. "Or how to believe in something you can't see. Stuff people struggle with when it comes to faith."

Ethan's gaze flickered at her, and for a moment, he considered brushing it off with a sarcastic comment. But instead, he leaned back in his chair and said, "And what's the answer?"

Grace's expression softened. "To which one?"

"All of it."

She smiled, tilting her head slightly. "I don't have all the answers, Ethan. I don't think anyone does. But I think the first step is being willing to ask the questions. To be honest about what you're feeling."

"That sounds... vague," he said, but there wasn't as much bite in his voice as usual.

"It is," Grace admitted. "Faith isn't easy. It's messy and complicated and sometimes really confusing. But I think that's kind of the point. It's a relationship, not a checklist. Relationships take time."

Ethan stared at her, something about her words sticking in his chest like a splinter. He wanted to argue, to poke holes in what she was saying, but he couldn't find the energy.

"What about you?" she asked, her voice gentle. "What's the hardest thing about faith for you?"

He hesitated, running his fingers over the edge of his coffee cup. Finally, he said, "I don't see the point. Like, if God's real, why doesn't He just... fix everything? Why does He let all this bad stuff happen?"

Grace nodded slowly, her gaze never leaving his. "That's a hard question. And I don't think there's an easy answer. But I do know that God doesn't cause pain - He helps us through it. Even when we don't realize it."

Ethan scoffed quietly. "Doesn't feel like it."

"I know," Grace said softly. "But maybe you just haven't given Him the chance to show you."

Her words settled over him like a weight he couldn't lift. He didn't respond, and for once, Grace didn't press him.

That night, Ethan sat at his desk, staring at the unopened Bible again. He ran his fingers over the worn cover, his thoughts spinning. Grace's voice echoed in his mind: Maybe you just haven't given Him the chance.

With a deep breath, he opened the book.

The words felt foreign, like reading a letter meant for someone else. He skimmed through random passages, his eyes catching on a verse in Psalms:

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Ethan closed the Bible and leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. For the first time in a long time, he didn't feel completely alone.

A/N:

Want more? Make sure to vote, comment, and follow so you don't miss any updates! I appreciate every bit of support!