InterVarsity Press

Conversations: Is God Real?

Robyn:

I'm undecided about a lot of things in life, but one thing I'd like to be sure of is whether or not God is real. I accepted Jesus as my Savior in October of last year. Since then it's been somewhat of a rollercoaster: some days I question my faith, then other days God is so real to me that I wonder how I could ever have doubted Him. And then again there's other days that I wonder if it was just my emotions playing tricks on me. . . . I want to be stronger in my faith, but I don't want to be blind to the truth.

Ruth:

Is God real or not? This seems to be your main concern at the moment. It is interesting to realize that the vast majority of people (at least in the U.S.) simply take it for granted that God is real. Most people just assume God's reality but live their lives as though he doesn't exist. They don't ask questions like you are asking—the penetrating questions of a thoughtful follower of Christ.

It would be easy for me to respond to you by simply saying, yes, God is real. But the reality of God cannot be proven by empirical evidence. It is through faith that we know God, especially through the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Knowing God comes through prayer, through Bible reading, through contemplating the wonders of nature, through worshiping in community and through other spiritual disciplines.

You speak of being on a rollercoaster. That is not uncommon for new Christians—or for older Christians for that matter. Sometimes this rollercoaster effect comes from our emotional makeup or from outside forces. Sometimes we magnify the rollercoaster effect because we have such high expectations for ourselves—or others have high expectations. Thus anything that does not meet this standard is perceived as weakness or lack of faith. You might find it helpful to keep a journal that would identify these highs and lows and what is influencing them. It is also helpful to have good Christian friends who are not judgmental and with whom you can openly disclose your deepest concerns and struggles.

You say that you wonder if your emotions might be playing tricks on you. That is a very perceptive question—especially from our western worldview. We are trained to accept at face value all that is rational, but to question that which is considered "emotional." I would challenge you to question your doubts—those rational thoughts that often plague you—and to be more receptive to that which might be viewed as more emotional. Be receptive to the mystery and the paradox that comes with faith. When God seems unreal or non-existent from a rational perspective, let yourself feel the presence of God. Cling to that bedrock certainty that we are not alone in a universe of chaos, but rather God holds this world together and that he has revealed himself to us personally through Jesus Christ, our crucified and risen Lord.

I hope this has been helpful to you, and I hope that you will always remember that you are not alone with your questions and doubts. Thinking Christians down through the ages have raised issues similar to yours.

Shalom.