Learning how to follow Jesus, even if you doubt His existence is always a touchy subject to discuss. Everyone has an opinion on the matter, including me. Rightly so, I guess.
Here’s a few questions for those who don’t believe, have doubt or on the fence… Are you believing in nothing or a higher power, not necessarily God/Jesus? Do you believe all roads lead to God/Jesus just by being a good person? Do you believe that Jesus is Gods son who died and arose again for your sins? Yes. No. Maybe?
There’s nothing wrong with having doubts about religion and/or faith in something or someone bigger than yourself who’s unseen. However, who you choose to believe in, makes all the difference in the world.
Most popular reasons not to believe
- The Bible is filled with mystical stories that’s not true, so there’s no evidence of God.
- If God exists, why does he allow kids to starve in desolate countries and allow bad things to happen to good people? Why doesn’t He heal cancer and stop innocent killings?
- All roads lead to Heaven and God, so we should just be good people and love one another.
- I believe in a Higher Power, not necessarily God or Jesus.
Maybe you can relate to one or many of these popular reasons. But, if one of these doesn’t fit, just “fill in the blank” because your reason is a personal one.
It’s normal to give excuses of unbelief or doubt
People who have doubt about Jesus give excuses to others as to why. Some people in the black culture believe that the Bible was created and used by white people to enslave our black ancestors from Africa. There was the “white” bible and the one used for slaves with pages torn out or omitted for support. Unfortunately, the white slave masters did use the Bible against black slaves to try and justify their evil doings. Others believe that the Bible is just mystical stories that’s made up. However, Gods word isn’t the culprit, Satan is.
We also have those who believe that a God of love should not allow starvation, homelessness, cancer, senseless killings, racism, abuse, etc. But I have news for you, the things that happen in this world are the results of sin that entered the world, not God. However, if you look closely, God will still use those bad situations and turn them around for His good and glory!
You say, “All roads lead to Heaven and as long as I’m a good person, believe in a higher power or the universe, I’m ok!” Unfortunately, that’s not true because Jesus said, “I’m the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
Doubt can become unbelief. The difference between doubt and unbelief is with doubt you believe in Jesus, but still have questions, that only God could answer. Luke 7:22 says, John The Baptist had doubts after he met Jesus and baptized him. After he was imprisoned, he asked two of his followers to find Jesus to ask who he really was…. “Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.”
There’s all sorts of examples in the Bible from others who doubted God. God just wants us to ask questions.
The real reason people doubt or don’t believe in Jesus
People love their sin more than their love for God! Plain and simple. They don’t want to change their style of living. Unfortunately, sin also creates distance from God. God says…
Only fools say in their hearts,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;
not one of them does good!
2 The Lord looks down from heaven
on the entire human race;
he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
if anyone seeks God.
3 But no, all have turned away;
all have become corrupt.[a]
No one does good,
not a single one! ~Psalm 14:1-3
Additionally, the problem is not with God, but our understanding of who He is. This allows questions and uncertainty to creep in. We can grow or diminish our faith, because it’s only as strong as we are. Some also believe that we control our destinies and not God.
It’s a problem when faith is built on emotion and feelings. We all have experienced some sort of loss, pain, abuse and turmoil. But unbelievers believe that a loving God wouldn’t allow those things to happen to them, so they don’t believe all together. The hardness of their sinful hearts, doesn’t allow Gods spirit to dwell within.
How to follow Jesus, even when you doubt His existence
Everyone who has existed before or afterJesus came to earth, has had a choice to believe or not to believe. There’s countless accounts in the Bible that proves this. So, why not choose to follow Jesus, just to prove His existence wrong? Maybe this is a crazy idea, but what do you have to lose? Right?
I would challenge you to pray to Jesus and ask Him into your heart. Tell him you doubt His existence and you want to know if His presence is true. Admit to him that your life is not perfect (even Christians are not perfect) and you want a better, sinless lifestyle. Ask for strength when Satan attacks you with his lies. Ask him to prove you wrong!
Jesus said: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8
After that, I would also challenge you to…
- Read His word in the Bible with an open mind and heart. Start with His disciples Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
- Talk with Jesus and ask questions about your lack of faith on a regular basis.
- Find a Church that speaks the truth about Jesus in His word.
- Find friends who believe and love Jesus to hang around with.
- Talk with others about Jesus to compare notes.
After completing the work, see how life changes through a different lense. Do you still doubt or unbelieve? Will you still believe in a higher power, not Jesus? Do ALL roads still lead to Heaven? Yes. No. Maybe?
Jesus vs Satan
We are here on earth for a reason and all a story to tell. As a believer of Jesus, I have had some things happen to me in my past that I’m not proud of or happy about. I’ve blamed Jesus and challenged His existence. I’ve wished I wasn’t here and asked Him “why me” many times. I’m no different from the next person.
But the difference was, I chose to believe in a God bigger than myself who brought me out of those dark places with a renewed peaceful mind that couldn’t be explained. When I got sick and tired of trying to do things my way, I surrendered and asked Jesus to help me live a better life – His way and not mine. My life is still not perfect, but I’ve never looked back.
Doubt will always be in our minds regarding God, Jesus, Satan and life itself. We are not human if we don’t question things that we don’t truly understand. This whole thing started when Satan disobeyed God and decided that he wasn’t going to worship him anymore. There’s a battle for souls going on. Jesus vs Satan? Whom will you choose?
If you choose Jesus, He promises that… ” Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Beloved, that includes your heart.
Jesus loves you and so do I… Give Him a chance to show you who He is.
Wanda
