Doubts that challenge beginner Christians.
Would God want a relationship with me?
Is it even possible to believe in God?
Could I accept the story of Jesus ?
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1. INTRODUCTION
There are a number of hurdles that can confront beginners on their journey of faith.
Firstly, we must really examine those ideas that can challenge the very possibility of God’s existence or the concepts of Christian faith. The article, “Too good to be true?“ explains how I found answers to the big doubts that prevented me from even beginning my own journey of faith.
Once we do have an ‘open mind‘ on the ‘possibility’ of God’s existence, we can then move forwards in building our Christian faith. Then of course we put it to use, proving to ourselves that it does have ‘substance and real value‘. And inevitably, that is how we find that ‘God really is there‘; he does exist.
Our thoughts and feelings may also need to be challenged during this process.
(I am from a senior auditing background and the majority of my advisory team are Christian clergy. To glimpse the ‘who’, ‘how’ and ‘why’ of this website please click here.)
2. DOES GOD WANTS A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU?
Yes, this is another area of thought that can even prevent the beginning of our faith. And it is often related to comparisons of ourselves to God.
2.1 Feeling too insignificant
We can rightly view ourselves as insignificant specks of life in comparison to our God, the creator and sustainer of the universe. And for a beginner Christian, it is easy to hold nagging thoughts such as, “I’m too insignificant to be bothering God?” or “Will God really have time to help me with my small issues?” or etc, etc.
The truth actually is that each and every one of us is just as special and important to God as anybody else on Earth, or anything else in the universe for that matter. God is all powerful. He is absolutely without limits. And he can therefore readily deal with each and every one of us, on a one-on-one basis, at any one time!
2.2 Done bad stuff in your life?
What if you have done bad stuff in your life? “How could God forgive those bad things, let alone love me?” Well, the Bible just says ‘turn your back’ on your old way of life, then accept him as the boss (your guide for life).
Oh, and, you must also accept that Jesus died an excruciating death to pay the price for your bad choices in the past. [1Peter 3:18] Yes, it is a good deal!
2.3 Just feel the love
So we must not hesitate to engage with God through the Church, within our day to day lives and the Bible.
Also remember that he loves each one of us deeply, whether we love him back or not! By becoming involved with us, in any way that he can, allows God to demonstrate his existence to us through his love. If we do not approach him, or otherwise let him into our lives, then we cannot truly discover his loving presence.
Please NEVER think that you are not important to God! Just allow yourself to ‘feel the love’.
3. GOD MAY SEEM HARD TO BELIEVE IN
Many doubts for beginners relate to broad challenging issues. You probably know what I am talking about. In this day and age, with our outlook on life, it can be difficult to even think about the possibility of something … well … as amazing as the concept of God. His existence just does not come into the equation of everyday life for a great number of people, eh?
And the concepts of Jesus, within Christianity? Well!
Even though I have come to hold deep belief and faith myself, I absolutely understand how these thoughts can arise. So please read on.
3.1 Challenging concepts of religion
Look, we may hold simple and outmoded concepts of God. We just may never have been exposed to more reasonable options. And all those deep, deep questions we have built up over the years: “Isn’t religion only for those who need a crutch in life?” or “How come various religions have different views on ‘what God is‘ supposed to be like?” or “Why do ‘suffering and evil‘ exist in our world if our creator God is supposedly good?” or “Doesn’t ‘science prove‘ that God cannot exist?” Please click those links above for answers to the questions.
I have offered answers built on the serious analysis of available facts for many other big questions in the section of the website, “Deal with Doubt” which also contains this particular article.
I assure you that there is actually nothing of ‘substance’ to prevent the possibility of God’s existence. NOTHING! Indeed I briefly explain below under Heading 4 how anyone can gather the evidence they need to believe in God.
3.2 Christianity’s beliefs appear challenging
And what about Christianity’s beliefs?
How do we accept that God could have ‘become a living human being‘? Did Jesus really: ‘even exist; die as the Bible tells us; really arise from that death‘? The concept of the ‘Holy Trinity‘?
Well … please access those links above to see how a serious ‘thinker’ like me managed to accept it all.
So I say yes, it can be reasonable to believe that God did exist as a human being. And he did die on the cross etc.
It really is not all that hard to accept either, I must say, if you really can approach it with an open mind.
4. GATHERING THE EVIDENCE
For most of us, belief in God comes through the recognition of his presence in the Church, within our everyday lives and the Bible. That eventuates when we choose to engage with him there.
As I have written elsewhere, ‘belief’ is built on the experiences of each and everyone of us. And we need to have gathered soundly ‘evaluated evidence‘ from within our experiences to support our faith. That is, as opposed to ‘wishful thinking’.
A large proportion of the website is devoted to guidance about finding evidence of God’s existence: recognising his presence as explained above. The first section of the website, “Journey of faith” is a basic guide to the process. It is supported by two other major sections, “God in church” and “God in our lives”.
4.1 Threats to our progress
However, doubting questions may still arise for those who are pursuing new faith, such as, “Why can’t I quickly find the sound evidence of God’s presence that I need?” or “Those important prayers of mine haven’t been answered yet!” Again many of these types of concerns have been genuinely ‘targeted’ in articles supporting those mentioned above.
But I do think that a serious obstacle to faith, for beginners, is just expecting ‘too much’ in the way of results too quickly. And when sound, clear evidence does not appear as quickly as hoped, then the old original doubts rear themselves again.
So, what is needed is an element of patience in our initial approach. And look, the Bible does respect these human habits of ours. St Paul was referring to faith when he said, “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently” [Romans 8:25].
My advice is not to worry, it absolutely WILL come! And please follow the advice under the following heading.
4.2 Remember to involve God
Please do not forget to pray about the matter either.
Bear in mind though, that God may wish to lead you towards some source of evidence that does not ‘sit well’ with you at first. If you feel you are being ‘nudged’ in a certain direction by God, e.g. attending a particular church or church group, then please go with it.
I speak from my own experience here. In my teens I began to have severe doubts about God. So I prayed for help with them. And I have to admit that God gave me a ‘leading‘ to attend a particular church (not the one that I already attended at that time). Because having fellowship within a different church was outside my ‘comfort zone’ at the time, despite having a friend in that congregation, I did not follow through on it.
I went on to become agnostic and eventually a hardened atheist. It took me some twenty odd years to find my way into that same type of church environment that God had previously wanted me to enter, and reap the benefits of ‘strong evidence’ of his presence there. You can read about some of my experiences within differing areas of the Church in the article, “God’s presence in the Church”.
4.3 Take small steps
As a beginner, building both ‘belief in God’ and ‘Christian faith’ is usually about taking one little step at a time into unknown territory. Countless millions of people, over thousands of years, have built a case for God’s presence in their lives, i.e. not through wishful thinking. They, by necessity, have worked through their doubts and, building on their experiences, developed ‘sound faith‘.
I am sure too that it well pleases God when we start on our journey of faith. But he knows that the road may be bumpy for us at some stages. From decades of experience I can write that he will assist … if we take notice that is.
5. THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS
Most of us humans are somewhat cynical these days … and probably out of necessity I might add! A commonly heard ‘saying’ states that, “If it seems too good to be true, then it probably isn’t.” And yes, I have an article with a similar name on this website. This saying is born out of the sheer number of scams that are so common in this time of ours.
Therefore, none of us should be surprised when our mind tells us that what is shaping up before us, on our search for faith, is all just too incredible! I admit to feeling that way many times myself along the way. Again please see the article “Too good to be true“.
5.1 Negative feelings
I have written elsewhere that proof of God’s existence should eventually appear to us as ‘beyond reasonable doubt’. And it has to be, if we are to build faith that will serve us effectively. That is what I meant earlier in this article by ‘soundly evaluated evidence’.
But it is to be expected that the term itself, “beyond reasonable doubt” will mean different things to each of us, bearing in mind that no two individuals think exactly the same way.
Emotions and feelings definitely play a role in this decision making. For an atheist, who has his or her mind set on absolute negativity for this subject, no amount of evidence will ever be enough. It is most unlikely that God will ever actually appear before us, in this lifetime at least, to change such a view. And that it is what is expected by many an atheist. God has chosen ‘to be invisible‘ for good reason.
5.2 Cannot relax into faith
Unfortunately, I also know that some people who actually want to believe in God, maybe badly, seem unable to relax into a comfortable faith. Their minds continue questioning, “what if?” or “why?” long after others would have accepted the likelihood of God’s existence. Often this is a result of our inherited genes … we can be just born with a serious questioning nature.
Sometimes too, it stems from an emotional or psychological state that affects all areas of life and not just religious faith. And some people have suffered considerably in life, to arrive at that state of mind. The questions ringing in the minds of those particular folk may be, “If God exists, where was he during those times?” or “Why did he let them happen to me?” And I do offer the article, “Suffering and evil” that discusses the subject.
You know, talking with an understanding member of the Christian clergy, or the like, may also be useful to people in these times.
5.3 Know when enough is enough
Above all else, if you find yourself in this frustrating position of not being able to accept that you do have enough evidence, please do not hesitate to invite God to assist you. But somewhere along the line we all must acknowledge that enough is enough, then just flow with faith!
It is within the use of faith – i.e. walking with God by following his guidance, asking for and receiving his assistance, reading the Bible, attending church services etc – that, as I have already said, we do find genuine evidence of his presence.
6. CONCLUSION
If you are just beginning your faith journey, please have confidence that you can come to achieve ‘sound faith‘ for yourself. As a result of that you can indeed ‘reap the rewards‘. And that includes gaining a more purposeful and contented life; real personal freedom.
From my decades of experience I can assure you that it all really does work.
If you would like advice on how you can come to believe in God and build effective Christian faith please begin with the articles under “Journey of faith” in the Menu Bar above.