Why Do I Believe?

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Recently, my mother has been corresponding with a young agnostic (who shall, at this time, remain anonymous).  He is a very nice young man, and despite his doubts, he has an honest desire to know the truth.  He wanted to ask Christians, in general, three simple questions.  But surprisingly, no one could answer- or if they could, they chose not to.  

And just what were these questions that such discomfort?  They are as follows;

Why Do You Believe?

When Did You First Believe?

How Has Your Faith Effected Your Life?

When my mother told me about his questions, I thought that they were worth answering.  After all, the Bible says that we are to be capable of answering for our faith at a moment's notice.  So I wrote down my answer and sent it to him.  And, after some thought, I decided that I might as well post them here too, as a statement of my faith.  :)

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Why Do I Believe?

I believe, and have put my faith in God, because I have seen His work evidenced in our world.  Hundreds, even thousands of His prophecies have come to pass throughout the ages, and the coincidences are too unlikely to be anything other than Spiritual.  I have seen the truth of His words from scripture played out in my own life, as well as other people's lives.  Even in science, which supposedly has nothing to do with God. 

I have felt His love in both my best and darkest hours.  Because of these things, and because of things I have seen in the world, I find that it is impossible to deny God's existence and validity.  And since I cannot deny it, why would I not put my faith in Him?

When Did You First Believe?

For me, there was no clear 'moment' when I first believed.  I was raised in a Christian home, and thus was educated in the ways of God since the time of my birth.  At first, I followed in blind belief, leaning on the faith of my parents.  When I was four years old, I 'officially' became a Christian as a spur of the moment decision.  I had decided that I loved Jesus enough to dedicate my life to him, in my limited four-year-old understanding.  

However, as I grew older  I began to think for myself more and more, and question things that I was taught.  I asked for evidence; not because I didn't believe, but because I wanted to know how my family and I justified our believe.  As I saw the evidence for myself, I took it to heart- and the truth of the Bible and God became all the more real to me.

Even later on in my life, there came a time when my entire family went through a severe time of trial and anxt.  I won't go into detail, but suffice to say that I thought that my world as I knew it was going to end.  I was a young teenager at the time, and inside I felt extremely fragile.  But I felt that I could not show my fragility for the sake of my family.  They needed me to be strong.  In that time when I felt so alone, I knew that the only one I could count on, who knew all of my troubles, was God.  Though I didn't understand why I had to go through that turmoil, I knew that He did.  So I turned to Him and held on for dear life, because if I didn't, I knew I would break.  And, despite the fact that all odds seemed against me and my family, He came through for us and saved us.  In my sorrow, I had begged Him to help me, for better or for worse, and He did.  I suppose it was then that I truly  believed, and my faith became wholly my own.  

How Has Your Faith Effected Your Life?

Since I have been blessed with a relatively uneventful life, the differences that my faith has made in my life are not so obvious... at first.  But if I take a closer look, I can see definite evidences of God's work in my life.

When I was younger, I was infamous among my family both immediate and removed, for being the most stubborn, willful child they had ever seen.  If I didn't get my way, not one of them could outlast me in a fit of temper.  Now, if I had kept on that track, I hate to think of what kind of person I would be today, because there have been many times when my will has been set against my elders- and not for a good reason.  If I'd have continued in my stubborn ways, I know for a fact that I never would have become the woman I am today.  But I could not have humbled myself on my own; not by a long shot.  It is only through the grace of God that I have learned love and humility.

My siblings and I share the closest bond between siblings that I believe I have ever seen.  I don't say this to boast- because it isn't our own doing.  If it were not for the art of forgiveness, empathy, and unconditional love that we have learned from the Bible since childhood, the hundreds of arguments we've had would surely have torn us apart by now.  However, since my faith in God has convicted my heart to treat them as I would want to be treated myself (and since they regard me in the same way) we are close enough to each other now that nothing can break us apart.

All of my non-Christian friends have expressed to me their fear of death.   When faced with the thought of their eventual demise, the only thing they feel is dread.  But as for myself, I have not feared death since I accepted Christ as my savior.  I know where I'm going when I die- and that is straight to Heaven.  I don't have to worry about just ceasing to exist; I have God's promise that life does not end after death.  (And no reason to doubt His word, since everything else has been true.)  I don't have to worry about whether I've been good enough to get to Heaven, because I know that I am sanctified through Jesus Christ, and that it is not through my own works that I achieve salvation.  Therefore, I have nothing to fear.  I could not have this assurance but through my faith.

Also through my faith, I have the knowledge that no matter where I am, or where I go, God will always take care of me.  I could lose everything, but He would still provide for me; which means I don't have to stress over the future- a blessing that most people don't have.  That's not to say I won't have my share of stress and hardship, but at least I know that the world doesn't rest on my shoulders.  :)

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-Rayne Speryll

(Disclaimer:  I do not own the image used in this post.  All credit goes to the original owner.)