Why I Believe
- notpopular110
- Jan 3, 2018
- 4 min read
The Holy Spirit uses many different methods to come into people's lives. Some Christians grow up in the faith, others learn about God throughout their lives, some hear God but never know him until later in their life. It does not matter when you believe in God, it just matters that you do. I grew up in the church always going to church and Sunday school, even going to a Christian grade school. I can't say there was ever one particular "moment" where I became a Christian. For others that may be the case, but not for me. I was baptized as a baby and have known God throughout my life. Some people (Christian and non-Christian) may say that I am not a true believer. I do not know God because I have been taught to believe in Him. I have been "brainwashed" since birth. I have not had the choice to decide for myself if God is real or not, and if I were to decide differently than my parents or family they would disown me. But that isn't the case at all.
2 Corinthians 1:24 This isn’t because I am making myself the lord and master over your faith; your faith is the reason you stand fast! Rather, it’s because we are co-operating with you for your joy.
Yes, I have been taught the Word of God since I was young, but I do not believe because my parents believe, because my friends believe, or because a majority of my town believes. I believe because I have witnessed God in my life. I have seen him help me when I thought there was no way out. I have seen him comfort me when times were tough. I have seen him deliver people when the outcome looked grim. I have seen him surprise me with little details in my life, that I thought held no purpose. God has blessed me in ways that I can't begin to understand. God has given me hope, faith, peace, and trust. He has been the one there for me when I didn't think I could go on. He is with me in times of happiness, fear, and sadness. God is the ultimate best friend, father, and counselor.
I don't believe all these things because someone taught me to believe them but because I have experienced them in my own life. They have impacted my life. For example, one time I was feeling very homesick, for about a weeks time, and in that week God, being the thoughtful Father He is, put in my life 3 people who were from towns close to my hometown. I am not saying that I became best friends with these people, but I truly believe that God had a part in our meetings. Because even though I didn't really know these people I was able to relate with them about living in the middle of nowhere, being surrounded by corn and beans, and now living in a city that does not know what Small Town, USA really is. Those encounters brought me joy, when all I had been feeling that week was sadness. I could tell you countless stories just like these in my life, that have shown me God and his love towards me.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
We are only human. It is okay for us to have doubt and to have questions. But when we have these feelings it is not okay to just sit and dwell in them. Instead, it is important for us to look at our lives and see what God has done in them. To see that God is not just sitting back watching our lives happen, but that He is an active part of each one of our lives. Because He loves us. There may be things in the Bible that we do not understand; like what a soul is, how God has always existed, or what Heaven is, but those things just remind us that we are not God. We do not have his power. We do not have his knowledge. God is God because of all the things He can do, see, understand, and be that we cannot. It may even be hard for us to understand why God is so loving towards us, but that doesn't stop the fact that He does love us. That He did send His Son to die on the cross for us. And because of Jesus Christ, we can have doubt sometimes, we can have confusion, but because of the faith the Holy Spirit has given us, we can have eternal life. We may not see God physically, but we see him work in our lives. I believe because I have seen God's work, not only in my life, but also in the lives of others.
Colossians 2:2-5 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.