So much of our lives is about what is not visible. If you take time to think about it, most of your life relies on things that are not tangible. Whether it is gravity, the engine of your car, or even the wifi or data you are using to read this, we rely constantly on elements that we cannot see. And faith is no different.
The problem with faith, however, is that it is not always easy to identify in other people. In the postmodern society, I have found that people are either too familiar with religion to acknowledge the existence of faith or unconcerned with the subject completely.
It has been hard for me in the past to truly explain what faith is and how it applies to everyone’s life… How can you explain something that cannot be seen or heard or touched? But one thing I have come to realise is: just because it can’t apply to our physical senses does not mean that faith cannot be experienced.
Take gravity as an example: it holds the world together and allows us to do remarkable things like build, run, or launch aircraft and spacecraft. It is a vital part of life, but cannot be seen or felt effectively. The only thing that proves its existence is the effect is has on other elements. I believe faith is very similar. When you believe in God and trust in something bigger than yourself, your world has a “pull” that holds everything together and allows you to build your life reliably. You might not see God, but you can definitely see the effect He has had on my life.
To be honest, I have had moments where I have experienced God tangibly – through dreams, a feeling of weight, miraculous provision, a heightened emotional state, and even in seeing people healed. You may instinctually start trying to disprove my experiences, but if you look at my life before God compared to my life since then, you would not be able to argue with the effect God has had on me.
There are a few unseen elements that I can identify in my life:
1. The spiritual
The Holy Spirit, the presence of evil, the glory of God, and angels and demons are all part of a world we do not see. In Africa people are more aware of this than most… The spiritual realm has very real implications that can truly set the atmosphere for your life.
2. Your private life
What other people don’t see still holds weight in your life. I have seen how my personal decisions – whether good or bad – affect how I treat myself, but it also speaks directly to the authority I have in life. If I am failing in my private life, I know that there are certain things I will not be given to carry for my own sake. God cannot be fooled like your friends… He knows and cares about how you are when no one is watching.
3. Other people’s lives
Sometimes there are things at work behind the scenes that you will be oblivious to. Whether it is the emotional issues of your boss, or financial constraints with your parents. The sooner you realise that the picture you see is a fraction of what is going on, the better. I have learned to pray bigger and to trust God more – since He is the only one that not only sees, but understands every element of the situations we find ourselves in.
You may find it hard to believe in anything you can’t see right now. I understand why you would be struggling. Taking your life at face value can be extremely daunting in itself. You may find it hard to trust anything you cannot understand – I know that it’s hard to trust things you can see sometimes and have been hurt in the process myself. But in both cases, I want to say that from my experience believing in God and the power of Jesus Christ in my life has helped rather than made things worse for me. If you want to give it a try, click on the link below.