Keep the Faith

So a friend of mine asked me two very important questions yesterday...how do you know God exists? and how do you keep faith when bad things happen? Nothing like a little light conversation to wake you up in the afternoon. He had had the rug yanked out from under him and was trying to put the pieces together. And it is hard because you can't always understand why bad things happen to good people. It is an age old question. All three of them are...people have debated these for centuries. Here are my humble responses to him...

How do you know God exists?

I have faith that God exists. Do I have proof beyond a shadow of a doubt? no I don't but I have faith and I have what I consider reasonable proof. I see God in everything I do and experience in the world. I don't always realize it but I do. The flowers, the trees, the people I see every day. A kindness shown to someone in need. The preschooler who realizes how something works. And in the bad times when someone gets hurt, someone loses their way, someone dies...God is there.

I also know God exists because of the nagging voice. I have always thought that little nagging voice in the back of my mind or in my gut is normally God telling me something. It has been there at many points in my life and I normally regretted it when I didn't listen to it. And been happy when I did. Now I am not calling God a nag by any means but I do believe God works in mysterious ways. Leading to that person you are supposed to be with, leading you to the place you need to be, leading you to the event you should take part in, God gets you where you need to be when you need to be there. IF you listen.

How do you keep faith when bad things happen?

That is tough. It is easy to lose faith when bad things happen. But it is in the difficult times that we should hold onto our faith. God will help us in the bad times too. Sometimes more. But it is important none the less to keep faith. Now I'm not saying you can't get mad at God or question God. It is human to do so and God can take it. But realize God is always there. Like the poem Footprints says God carries us in the hard times.

Ok I'm done preaching. Back to my usual posts soon enough. I just needed to get this out because his questions hit me in an unexpected way. Hope all is well in your life.

Keep the faith,
Meg