How do you make yourself believe in God?

[arensb]

believing in something just because you need to feel comfort and safety isn't really a good reason to believe in something. is it?

....

As a rule, I find that it's a lot better to believe in things because they're true, rather than because it would be really cool if they were true. If I had a pain in my chest, I would really, really hope it was just heartburn or gas, and not cancer or an incipient heart attack. But if I made myself believe that it was just gas, that wouldn't change anything except that I wouldn't get medical treatment in time. ...

If you find yourself gravitating toward faith: how are you going to make yourself believe in a god? ...

 

[MariaRegina]

God freely gave me His grace to believe in Him.

However, I had to be open to receive this grace. I had to reach a point in my life where I had to humbly get down on my knees and beg God to make Himself real to me and to save me.

And a pity party did not work. I had to humbly repent of my many sins and accept responsibility for them, not blaming anyone else but myself. Then Christ became real and flooded my soul with peace and joy.

I wish this same peace and joy of the Holy Spirit to you and the ones you love.

God bless you.
Aria

 

[LilLamb219]

WE cannot make ourselves believe. Faith to believe is a gift given from God. How do we get faith from Him? It comes about with the Holy Spirit through God's Word that we can find in scriptures, in baptism and the Lord's Supper. When the Gospel that Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins so that we may have eternal life is shared with us, those words being God's Word can work faith within us as God's Word is alive and active and will not return empty.
We cannot choose our way to salvation, but we can reject it. The Good News is there for all of us, but many will turn away from it.

You can't force yourself to believe, but by reading the Bible more and more, God's Word can bring you to faith in order to believe for salvation.

 

[SarahlovesChrist]

"We live by faith, not by sight."
-2 Corinthians 5:7

I don't "make" myself believe in God, I have fellowship with God through worship, prayer, and His word. We are also given a free will to chose whether we want to follow or not. Once you're truly filled with the Holy Spirit, there is no denying the exisitence of God.

God Bless

 

[The Midge]

....

As a rule, I find that it's a lot better to believe in things because they're true, rather than because it would be really cool if they were true. If I had a pain in my chest, I would really, really hope it was just heartburn or gas, and not cancer or an incipient heart attack. But if I made myself believe that it was just gas, that wouldn't change anything except that I wouldn't get medical treatment in time. ...

If you find yourself gravitating toward faith: how are you going to make yourself believe in a god? ...

1. Repent of your sin. It is more deadly than cancer.
2. Ask forgiveness from God

Unforgiven sin is the biggest barrier between us and God.

 

[tapero]

....

As a rule, I find that it's a lot better to believe in things because they're true, rather than because it would be really cool if they were true. If I had a pain in my chest, I would really, really hope it was just heartburn or gas, and not cancer or an incipient heart attack. But if I made myself believe that it was just gas, that wouldn't change anything except that I wouldn't get medical treatment in time. ...

If you find yourself gravitating toward faith: how are you going to make yourself believe in a god? ...

I cried out to God during after a bad experience. I just screamed for God to help me. Shortly after I went to a funeral where I heard the gospel, and then went to church where the pastor led me to the Lord. I believe God does the calling. I don't know why I heard and believed when I did, but I believed the gospel and put my trust in God. I don't think you make yourself believe in God. God calls you to Himself and at some point you either 'hear' or not. My friend heard the gospel many times before she came to faith in Christ. I think it's a matter of placing your trust in the unseen, and as you grow in faith you realize there is so much more to grow. Israel had God, saw Him at work and still many didn't want to trust Him for their day to day life.

I hope this helps. Tapero

 

[BiancaRose]

It is by faith that I believe in God. I guess I do not have to make myself believe in God, I just do. I have seen the way the Lord has worked his way in my family and my life and I have seen the power of prayer and the power of his word.

 

[eoe]

" Faith comes not through pondering but through action. Not words and speculation but experience teaches us what God is. To let in fresh air we have to open a window; to get tanned we must go out into the sunshine. Achieving faith is no different; we never reach a goal by just sitting in comfort and waiting, say the holy Fathers. Let the Prodigal Son be our example. He arose and came (Luke 15:20)."
Way of the ascetics - Chapter one.


If you wish to have faith then act. Call a priest and speak with them. Volunteer with orphans or the homelss. Visit the sick and the suffering. Above all - pray. Ask for faith.

You can sit and ponder yourself to death and never figure out a thing. It is real experience that will show you the truth. Get up and take action.

 

[eldermike]

....

As a rule, I find that it's a lot better to believe in things because they're true, rather than because it would be really cool if they were true. If I had a pain in my chest, I would really, really hope it was just heartburn or gas, and not cancer or an incipient heart attack. But if I made myself believe that it was just gas, that wouldn't change anything except that I wouldn't get medical treatment in time. ...

If you find yourself gravitating toward faith: how are you going to make yourself believe in a god? ...

You are right, true faith is faith is something real.

I suggest this:
Jesus said that a man does not live by bread alone but by every word from the mouth of God.

We have those words, they are in the bible.

To begin a journey of faith, study His word. If living by those words is the right way for a man then that will become the reason to continue, which from your OP, that's what you seek.

 

[Robinsegg]

Ask Him to give you faith, and He will grant your request. He reveals Himself to you.
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
Romans 1:18-20 (NIV)


6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.
Psalms 97:6 (NIV)


1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
4 Their voice
goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
Psalms 19:1-4 (NIV)

 

[thepianist]

....

As a rule, I find that it's a lot better to believe in things because they're true, rather than because it would be really cool if they were true. If I had a pain in my chest, I would really, really hope it was just heartburn or gas, and not cancer or an incipient heart attack. But if I made myself believe that it was just gas, that wouldn't change anything except that I wouldn't get medical treatment in time. ...

If you find yourself gravitating toward faith: how are you going to make yourself believe in a god? ...

We cannot 'make' ourself believe in God....we accept the grace of God freely. Ephesians 2:8 & 9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

 

[neenee]

I know how you feel. Sometimes it just seems to good to be true or completely unbelievable. I struggled and still struggle with that very idea. I felt like I was doubting God while still believing in Him which confused the hell out of me. If you want a bible verse that helped me a lot is when Jesus met a man who was asking for his son to be healed. Jesus questioned this man's faith and the man said "I believe, help my unbelief".

I don't know if this will help you at all... keep searching and asking God it'll come.

 

[Rafael]

....
As a rule, I find that it's a lot better to believe in things because they're true, rather than because it would be really cool if they were true. If I had a pain in my chest, I would really, really hope it was just heartburn or gas, and not cancer or an incipient heart attack. But if I made myself believe that it was just gas, that wouldn't change anything except that I wouldn't get medical treatment in time. ...
If you find yourself gravitating toward faith: how are you going to make yourself believe in a god? ...

All people know or have known at some time that God "is". They all experience the consciousness and being of life that only the Creator of all this finely tuned beauty can give. Although it is marred by sin and death, He has promised to restore man to an eternal state of being once all those who have been called by Him respond to the love He offers through the Son, Jesus.
He is seen more and more by science, and even the scientists are being driven by their professions to admit and believe in God although the simple mind of a child may understand even better what it is to trust in a Father for their futures provision. God literally shouts at us in creation through the intelligent design that cannot be explained by accident or chance at all, although there are many who wishfully think up elaborate webs of complicated theorums that have never produced even one blade of grass to life.
How can a person not believe would be the qustion I would ask, but I know how - because I was once deceived, myself, into believing lies over the obvious truth of a Creator.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2220484,00.html

Romans 1:17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."
18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves.
19 ¶ For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts.
20 From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.
21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused.
22 Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead.