08/09/2026
Why do you believe in God?
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” — Hebrews 11:1
Why do you believe in God?
It sounds like a simple question. But if someone stopped you today and sincerely asked, “Why do you believe there is a God?” what would you say?
Maybe you would say, “Because I was raised that way.”
Maybe you would point to the Bible. Maybe you would talk about creation — the sunrise, the stars, the changing seasons, the incredible complexity of life.
Or maybe your answer would be much more personal.
“I believe in God because I have felt His presence.”
“I believe because there were times I didn’t know how I was going to get through something, but somehow I did.”
“I believe because I prayed, and while I didn’t always get the answer I wanted, I discovered that I wasn’t facing life alone.”
Faith is an interesting thing because we cannot put God under a microscope. We cannot take a picture of Him or point to a place on a map and say, “There He is.”
And yet, we believe.
The Bible says in Romans 1:20:
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen.”
Sometimes I think one of the greatest testimonies to God is simply looking around us.
Watch a thunderstorm roll across the prairie.
Look at a field of corn that began with nothing more than tiny seeds placed into the ground.
Stand outside on a clear night and look at thousands of stars.
Hold a newborn baby.
Watch the sun rise after a difficult night.
We understand how many of these things happen scientifically, but understanding how something works does not necessarily eliminate the wonder of why it exists in the first place.
Psalm 19 begins:
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
But believing in God is about more than seeing evidence in creation.
For Christians, our faith ultimately comes down to Jesus Christ.
Jesus told His disciples:
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” — John 14:9
If we want to know what God is like, we look at Jesus.
We see Him touching people everyone else avoided.
We see Him forgiving sinners.
We see Him feeding the hungry.
We see Him comforting those who grieved.
We see Him welcoming children.
We see Him kneeling beside people whom society had forgotten.
And finally, we see Him hanging on a cross.
That cross says something extraordinary about God.
It says God did not remain distant from human suffering.
He entered it.
He experienced rejection, pain, grief and death.
And then Easter morning changed everything.
The tomb was empty.
For nearly 2,000 years Christians have proclaimed the same message:
Christ is risen.
That is at the heart of why we believe.
But I think there is another reason many of us believe in God.
We can look back over our own lives and see moments when God seemed especially close.
Maybe you have experienced one of those moments.
A person called exactly when you needed someone.
A door opened that you never expected.
Someone showed you kindness during one of the hardest periods of your life.
You found strength you didn't think you had.
Or perhaps there was a moment when everything around you was falling apart, yet somewhere deep inside there was still a strange sense of peace.
We might call those things coincidence.
But sometimes, looking back, we begin to see a pattern.
God was there.
Not always removing the problem.
Not always preventing the storm.
But walking with us through it.
David wrote one of the most familiar passages in Scripture:
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” — Psalm 23:4
Notice what David doesn't say.
He doesn't say believers never walk through dark valleys.
He says we don't walk through them alone.
That may be one of the strongest answers to the question, “Why do you believe in God?”
Because somewhere along the journey, we discovered we weren't alone.
There are certainly days when faith is strong.
And there are days when questions creep in.
Even people in the Bible struggled with doubt.
One father came to Jesus desperately wanting his son healed.
He said something that I think describes many of us perfectly:
“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” — Mark 9:24
What an honest prayer.
Faith doesn't mean never having questions.
Faith means continuing to trust even while some questions remain unanswered.
Hebrews 11:1 reminds us:
“Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
We don't see God with our eyes.
But perhaps we see His fingerprints.
In creation.
In Scripture.
In Jesus Christ.
In the people God places in our lives.
In prayers answered differently than we expected.
In strength that arrives when ours is gone.
In forgiveness we did not deserve.
In hope that somehow survives even our darkest days.
So today, ask yourself the question:
Why do I believe in God?
Don't settle only for somebody else's answer.
Think about your own life.
Where have you seen God?
When have you felt His presence?
Who has God used to help you?
What storm have you survived?
What blessing have you received?
And perhaps your answer is simply this:
“I believe in God because somewhere along the journey of my life, I discovered that God believes I am worth loving.”
And He proved it through Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, sometimes our faith is strong and sometimes we have questions. Thank You for loving us through both. Open our eyes to recognize Your presence in creation, in the people around us and in the ordinary moments of our lives. When we walk through difficult valleys, remind us that we do not walk alone. Strengthen our faith, help our unbelief, and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who shows us just how great Your love truly is. Amen.
