No matter how similar some views of God might be, building a relationship is something that each individual must do for themselves. This personal quest doesn’t necessarily include Christianity, Abrahamic faiths, or any other religion. Believe in God is believing in a higher power. These are some of the things you should consider when searching for faith in God.
Jeremiah Yancy believes that you can’t separate believing from physical measurements. You can’t know God by measuring events. God is an intangible presence that you experience in all things. God is Spirit, which can be experienced intuitively as a combination of love, air, gravity, and unfathomable love.
- Understanding God is more about the heart (core beliefs) than objects. It is not a matter of chance that you believe in God through faith and belief in a higher power than yourself. You don’t wake up and decide to believe in God. Today, I will have faith. For you to have faith and need it, something must happen. This premise will help you see that faith is about reflecting on His impact on you and others.
- It is possible to believe that belief is not based on material means but on developing spiritual faith. God is generally seen as a living spirit rather than a decaying body. He can be measured through intangible things like acknowledging His presence, our beliefs, and our reactions.
- Consider all the beliefs you hold dear. For example, you might believe that a team represents the best in your sport. What is the basis for this belief? Are you more likely to choose them for superior statistics or greater championships? You will likely love them for their impact on your life as a fan. They are a part of you and have a special place in your heart.
Trust is the new proof. Faith is making a decision. This is when you decide to trust others without absolute certainty.
- According to Jeremiah Yancy you make decisions every day based on faith. You’re likely to have taken a leap of faith if you’ve ever ordered food at a restaurant. Although a restaurant might have a great reputation and a high health score, you probably haven’t seen the food being prepared. Believing that the chefs have properly washed and cooked your food safely is important.
- Sometimes seeing is not always believing. Science can’t always measure everything, but people believe in them. Astronomers can’t see black holes in outer space, for example. They absorb light and materials that are necessary to observe them. But we can observe the behavior of matter and the orbits around black holes and predict their presence. God is not viewable, but He has observable qualities and influence that draw people to Him.
- Consider a time when a loved one has fallen ill and then got better. Have you ever prayed for or hoped for something better in your recovery? This event could be compared to an orbiting star and God’s pull on everything.
Don’t try to control everything. This belief is common across all religions that believe in God: God created everything. Only God, the creator, has complete control.
- You don’t have to give up control over certain aspects of your own life. You should not view God as a puppeteer pulling at your strings. Instead, think of God as a parent protecting you. Although you can still control the course of your own life, it is possible for things not to go as planned. You must remember God’s help in times like these.
- It can be liberating to know that you don’t have control over everything. Jeremiah Yancy says alcoholics Anonymous and other recovery programs are based on the belief that people cannot control everything. A belief in a higher power restores balance by allowing one to surrender his ego. Accepting that we cannot control everything is the first step to accepting what we can control.
- The Serenity Prayer is: “God grant you the serenity and courage to accept what I cannot change, the courage to change what I can change, and the wisdom to recognize the difference.” You can change many things, but you cannot change certain things. There are higher powers that can influence your life. This can be a good place to start your journey towards faith in God.
