Do You Believe in God?

Hebrews 11:6 ESV says, ”And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

In my experience, Christian communities don’t often question whether God exists. We might think that, of course, we believe God exists! Why else would we gather in the church and profess Christian life? Yet there are endless reasons we might be interested in Christianity and not too concerned with God. The church can provide a social context for entertainment, community, and friendships. The church can be an emotional support center and give us tools to navigate hardships and blessings in our lives.

A church without God is still a reasonably useful institution that I fear many have relied on more than God himself. When a church stops relying on God and leans on religion, they stop pleasing God. This is a dangerous place because those lacking faith in God cease to draw near to him.

Instead, one might get caught up in a persistent cycle of frustrating religiosity. A believer might aim to please God without asking, “Do I believe God is real?”

It might sound ridiculous to ask this question, but it is soberingly possible to drop our belief in God miles behind us on the journey of faith and proceed based on our religious striving alone. Perhaps we can traverse the path for a season without this abiding faith in God, but at some point, our strength dries up, and we are left without presence, power, or purpose.

This aimless Christian life is only restored with the simple question of faith. If you have been striving to please God outside of believing in his existence, I encourage you to pause and examine your heart. Take this opportunity to reaffirm your faith in God. This might be as simple as praying a prayer that re-quotes Hebrews 11:6. It might look more like a dialogue with God where you share your heart and listen for his response.

Sitting here at my dining room table, I’m pausing with you to remember that I serve a real God. Simply acknowledging God’s existence sharpens my understanding and awareness of his presence in and around me. If our capacity to please God rests on our willingness to receive him with faith, then the practice of setting our hearts and minds on God will yield a life that is pleasing and acceptable to God.

God is real.