Is the question, does God exist? OR… is my mind open to see it?
Recently, I was sitting at a table with friends and family enjoying a meal when the discussion surfaced…does God exist.
Recently, I was sitting at a table with friends and family enjoying a meal when the discussion surfaced…does God exist.
I admit, I thoroughly enjoy this type of topic. By nature, I am a listener. Listening to people talk and use words in a specific manner creates knowledge. You can find the answer to nearly every question by listening, if you get good enough at it.
In this 35 minute discussion, I rarely spoke. There was no reason to. No one at the table was interested in answers. They were far more interested in sharing their thoughts and ideas. While sitting there, I realized something profound!
In this setting, the real rooted question was not about weather God existed or not. The real subject was if he exists, why can't I see Him. The short, black and white answer to this is easier than you might think.The discussion went several different ways with opinions, ideas and thoughts. As I sat there intently listening, one phrase that kept being repeated was “it is hard to believe in God because you can't see Him and I can only believe in what I see.”
In this 35 minute discussion, I rarely spoke. There was no reason to. No one at the table was interested in answers. They were far more interested in sharing their thoughts and ideas. While sitting there, I realized something profound!
In this setting, the real rooted question was not about weather God existed or not. The real subject was if he exists, why can't I see Him. The short, black and white answer to this is easier than you might think.The discussion went several different ways with opinions, ideas and thoughts. As I sat there intently listening, one phrase that kept being repeated was “it is hard to believe in God because you can't see Him and I can only believe in what I see.”
What we believe and hold in our mind as truth, determines most every aspect of our life because all of our choices are based around what we believe. If you can’t see God, maybe it’s because your personal belief system is not letting you.
Largely formed from our past, our belief system holds all of the good and the bad experiences. Hurts, pain, pleasures and memories. Books you have read and people you have associated with, parents, successes and tragedies. It's all accounted for and all of it has created you and what you hold as truth.
This means, each of us hold an image of what we think God looks like, where He is and what He does. Some hold the belief that He is like a step father with a zero tolerance for error and punishes swiftly. Others see Him as a gentle, loving, caring, guiding Dad who holds unconditional love for His children. The way you see Him or think of Him is in large, based on your programming. (Experiences)
Those who don't believe, it could be your personal set of beliefs do not line up with what God is suppose to look like. Therefore, He must not exist. After all, what kind of God would allow so much destruction, hate, hunger and evil in the world, right?
If your own belief system does not line up with the image of what God is suppose to look like for you, your belief system will dismiss it as invalid. Therefore, making it only logical to take the stance that God doesn't exist.
I know for a fact that several of my family sitting around the table that night have had miracles in their life. A few, more than once. Yet they still struggle with believing that God exists.
Largely formed from our past, our belief system holds all of the good and the bad experiences. Hurts, pain, pleasures and memories. Books you have read and people you have associated with, parents, successes and tragedies. It's all accounted for and all of it has created you and what you hold as truth.
This means, each of us hold an image of what we think God looks like, where He is and what He does. Some hold the belief that He is like a step father with a zero tolerance for error and punishes swiftly. Others see Him as a gentle, loving, caring, guiding Dad who holds unconditional love for His children. The way you see Him or think of Him is in large, based on your programming. (Experiences)
Those who don't believe, it could be your personal set of beliefs do not line up with what God is suppose to look like. Therefore, He must not exist. After all, what kind of God would allow so much destruction, hate, hunger and evil in the world, right?
If your own belief system does not line up with the image of what God is suppose to look like for you, your belief system will dismiss it as invalid. Therefore, making it only logical to take the stance that God doesn't exist.
I know for a fact that several of my family sitting around the table that night have had miracles in their life. A few, more than once. Yet they still struggle with believing that God exists.
One could ask, where do miracles come from? After all, if we will only do a little searching, we will see that miracles happen all around us, sometimes every day.
Science has gone to great length to prove there is no God. Yet, the search itself has raised more questions than can be answered. Even if they are answerable, it requires faith in the science itself to accept its answers.
Believing in God is more of a faith thing than it is a seeing thing. Yes, many have seen and experienced things that make no sense as to why or how. Personally, I fit into this category. Many have seen miracles happen in their own life and yet still refuse to accept that God had anything to do with it. Even when claiming God is the only half way reasonable answer, they still cannot bring themselves to accept it.
Pride and ego also play a factor. If a person is more interested in being right then seeking the truth, all the proof in the world will not be enough to convince.
I have heard that coincidences are when God chooses to remain anonymous. Personally, I am ok with that. I don't need a mathematical equation to answer every coincidence that happens in my life.
Science has gone to great length to prove there is no God. Yet, the search itself has raised more questions than can be answered. Even if they are answerable, it requires faith in the science itself to accept its answers.
Believing in God is more of a faith thing than it is a seeing thing. Yes, many have seen and experienced things that make no sense as to why or how. Personally, I fit into this category. Many have seen miracles happen in their own life and yet still refuse to accept that God had anything to do with it. Even when claiming God is the only half way reasonable answer, they still cannot bring themselves to accept it.
Pride and ego also play a factor. If a person is more interested in being right then seeking the truth, all the proof in the world will not be enough to convince.
I have heard that coincidences are when God chooses to remain anonymous. Personally, I am ok with that. I don't need a mathematical equation to answer every coincidence that happens in my life.
If you do, that’s ok. Just remember, there is no proof the sun will come up tomorrow. We believe it will come up because we have faith. That faith comes from the past, seeing it rise and set many times before. Yes, even faith, is built on what we have and have not seen.
Have a great weekend everyone, be blessed.
Have a great weekend everyone, be blessed.
