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Whether you’re an atheist, a devoted believer, or someone in between, you've probably asked yourself: "Why should I believe in God?"It's a question that's been asked throughout the ages, and now, it feels more critical than ever. We live in a chaotic and cynical time, and it's hard to believe anything unless it's right in front of us — staring at us in the face. In a culture like this, it's easy to have doubts. Does God exist at all? Why does God matter?It's hard to build or nurture your relationship with God if you're not sure He is real. And it can be difficult to explain your faith to others if that belief doesn't feel concrete. So let's take a moment to consider the question.
You aren't the first to grapple with the question of belief in God. The vast number of different religions already tells us that humans have been grasping at the divine from the very beginning. This alone speaks to the existence of God. All humans have an innate desire for something — an emptiness that longs for fulfillment. Filling this hole with worldly desires like riches, power, and sensual pleasures might distract you for a little while, but it's ultimately unfulfilling. It comes down to two choices. First, you can trust in mankind's limited knowledge. Religions, philosophies, "isms," and more were made by humans desperately looking for answers. But humanity's reasoning can only go so far because it starts with itself and ends with itself. The second option is to "lean not on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5). Instead, lean on God. Many skeptics equate trust in religion to a rejection of logic or reason. But belief in God doesn't mean you aren't using reason. In fact, it's the act of seeking God that can open your eyes and grant you wisdom (Psalm 119:18, Proverbs 8).While there are many reasons to put your faith in God, here are three of the most compelling reasons we have to believe.
There are so many examples of God's design on Earth. From the tiniest atom to the vast expanse of ocean, the world is a perfect creation designed to sustain human life.If the planet were a tiny bit smaller, it wouldn't have an atmosphere. If it were just a bit bigger, the atmosphere would be full of hydrogen. Instead, our Earth has the perfect mix of gasses — at just the right distance from the sun — for plant, animal, and human life. Even the human body seems designed in an impossibly complex and intricate way - the movement of each individual muscle, the filtering of stimuli in your brain, the way your eyes take in an astonishing 1.5 million visual messages. Our world was designed with a purpose. But there can't be such a complex and spectacular design without a designer behind it all. As the Bible says: "The heavens declare the Glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands" (Psalm 19:1).
The balance of matter had to be just right for the universe to come into existence. Had it been unbalanced by just one billionth of a percent, the universe would never have existed in the first place. Did all of this happen, as some skeptics suggest, as a cosmic coincidence? The odds that life sprang out of existence through chance alone is pretty unlikely. Cambridge astronomer Fred Hoyle compares this to the likelihood of a tornado blowing through a junkyard and forming a Boeing 747. The fact that the universe formed at all speaks to a creator who put the whole thing in motion.
Many skeptics demand concrete proof or a rational argument that you can look at through a scientific lens. Yet so much of our belief in God goes beyond the limits of science. The proof can't be found through any external source; it can be found inside of you. Many are moved to believe in God because they have experienced Him. Christian philosophers like Alvin Plantinga call this "sensus divinitatis," or "sense of the divine." It's a deeper feeling, something embedded in your very being, that calls to you. This inner feeling is God's message to you. Not only do you have amazing value in the eyes of God, but He also made you with a purpose. He has a plan for how the rest of your life will unfold. All you have to do is answer the call.
At the end of the day, your belief in God doesn't need to rely on concrete proof. Even without the evidence that exists all around us, we know that a loving God does exist. And better yet, He can be known in a deep and intimate way. If your faith has been shaky — or you haven't even considered the question of faith — there's so much more you have to discover about God's love and His future for you.Just ask yourself: Is that inner discontent, that calling for something else in your life, a desire to embrace God?
We as a church exist to help you meet, know and follow Jesus. No matter where you’ve been, what you’ve done, or what’s been done to you, God loves you and you are welcome at Sun Valley.