How can you know God is real?

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snowpea

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I honestly would like to know

I don’t want “proof” as much as a reason to believe (I am not so naive as to require proof).

Is it a feeling you have or an event that convinced you?

What would be the best way to seek God that would help you to know He is there and trust Him?

Thank you.
 
When I was a little child, growing up in a very devout Catholic family, one of the things my mother would do every evening was to say our prayers with us as a family, then with each of us individually in our beds. We would say our Guardian Angel prayer and ask him to ask God to always watch over us. Very early on, I knew God was real. He was such a part of our lives, there was no way He would not be a part of my life also.

Over the years, He has been by closest friend. When times were difficult, I would carry a Pardon Crucifix in my pocket. Just having Him with me was such a comfort.

Now, I see God each day in the faces of my dear little children. I know their innocence, their beauty, their childlike faith could only come from Him. The miracle of their existence could only be because He willed it.

As close as my husband and I are, and as much as we rely on and comfort each other, there are times when only God can calm my fears and anxieties. When I turn to Him and put complete trust in Him, I feel a peace that no other can supply.
 
**For me…he sent the Holy Spirit…when I was really down and spirtually dead…I believe God said…enough is enough…I knew it had to be the Catholic Church…I was called there and went through RCIA classes and confirmed last Easter…when I heard the call…I went ahead and never looked back.

stormy**
 
When their are no arms to hold you, no words to comfort you and your cries fall on deaf ears.
When you have strenght to carry on for just one more hour, or even one more minute, you know God is real.
 
He is here, now, always… But when I was young and didn’t understand… I found Him most easily in nature… in just observing very closely a flower… or looking up at the night sky.
I would say to myself:
Ahh… here is form, here is content! The splendor beyond words or imagining! *Here *is God revealing Himself to us with His very creation.

Thank you God. THANK you.
 
snowpea said:
I honestly would like to know

I don’t want “proof” as much as a reason to believe (I am not so naive as to require proof).

Is it a feeling you have or an event that convinced you?

What would be the best way to seek God that would help you to know He is there and trust Him?

Thank you.
Click to expand...
Prayer is the best way to seek God and to know that he is present to you.
 
Well, here is a good reason I think:

Man is a creature of sense. All information comes through the senses, the eyes, ears, mouth, nose and hands.

But the things that make God what he is have never been experienced by anyone.

God is by definition, Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent. Never has anyone experienced these things. THere is no physical example of these things in the universe; All-Power, All-Presence, All-Knowledge.

THerefore, how do we conceive of their existence?

Because We were fanished by the hands of the omnipotent one, we were given the gift of life by the omnipresent one, and we were endowed with a Rational SOul by the omniscient one. We have the Fingerprints of GOd on us, and they mark us to our core.

Consider also: Truth. Truth is omnipresent: It exists everywhere, and Every-when. In all times and all places. Can you travel to a place where truth does not exist? Can you think of a time when truth did not apply? No. Therefore Truth transcends time and space and matter.

But no effect is greater than its cause; therefore, what Caused Truth? THe Truthful one- God.

THese are some reasons I believe. Because it is reasonable. 🙂

Consider this: Imagine created forms, beauty. Tell yourself: But these are not God. Move higher up, imagine heavenly bodies, stars moon, yet still; These are not God. Now imagine the furthest depths of space, the vastness; And say to yourself this is not God. Now imagine, insofar as possible, the Void, the blackness of Space, the stuff between the stars; But this is not God. Imagine the darkness of the minds eye, the ignorance that lies within you, the supreme lack of knowledge, and the simple darkness of your closed eyes; And this is Not God. Eventually, your mind will hit the limit, like a black invisible wall, and you will know that God is just on the other side. Maybe he will open a chink in the wall. And you will be blinded.

By Negation, we run into his fundamental reality and infinity of being, He is being itself, pure act, pure being…Hammer at that wall, and he will hear you.

This is what St. Augustine did.
 
snowpea said:
I honestly would like to know

I don’t want “proof” as much as a reason to believe (I am not so naive as to require proof).

Is it a feeling you have or an event that convinced you?

What would be the best way to seek God that would help you to know He is there and trust Him?

Thank you.
Click to expand...
I know that God is real because He has revealed Himself to us.
I know that He created the World and me, revealing to me that there is a powerful creator out there.
I believe that Jesus is God. He is real. He lived on this earth. I did not see Him but many others did.
Within myself I often have these “little miracles” that I know originates from none other than God Himself but which somebody else may dismiss as coincidence-Example;
About two months ago I suddenly and out of the blue became very concerned about past sins which I had confessed , done penance and moved on. I started having doubts as to whether I had really confessed them or not. I went to confession and voiced my doubts. The priest told me if I was sure I had not confessed them, then I should do so.
I left the confessional and took time to pray and ask God what to do. I asked Him to “ shine a light “ for me on the unconfessed sins, because I really did not know where the doubt was coming from. There was no illumination of my sins. I decided to go to confession and do as the priest had advised. I asked God in my prayer that if the doubt was from satan and I had really made a good confession all those years back, then “ please God, let the priest stop me from going on with the confession, Please God!”
I prepared myself for the confession and went in. “ Forgive me Father for I have sinned---- I have had doubts—!
“Stop !” The priest said. I tried to explain but the priest refused completely for me to even talk. He asked me to repeat a prayer after him; a prayer of faith in God. I did this and was at peace with myself. No more doubts! And I realised a miracle had happened. God answered my prayer exactly .
Yes, I know God is real!
 
Interestingly enough, I became acutely aware of the presence and reality of God in a college anatomy and kinesiology course: As we explored the composition and design of the human body, and its function, I was taken by a sense of the grandness and completeness of the structure, and my thoughts were captivated by the Intelligence, Majesty, and Power of the Grand Designer. This happened class after class, lecture after lecture, laboratory after laboratory. I had a real sense of how wonderfully we are made, and praised in my heart the Maker.

Also interestingly enough, I aced the course, and I’m not generally a “science” type of person!
 
snowpea said:
I honestly would like to know

I don’t want “proof” as much as a reason to believe (I am not so naive as to require proof).

Is it a feeling you have or an event that convinced you?

What would be the best way to seek God that would help you to know He is there and trust Him?

Thank you.
Click to expand...
Hi Snowpea. God bless you, but how does one separate proofs from reasons? If you are Catholic the Church teaches that it is neither feelings nor events that should arouse our conviction that God has created us.

Let me speak for myself. I am of a melancholy temperament, susceptible to negative feelings that are disconnected from reality. I frequently have feelings that there is no God. But I remain unconvinced in my intellect that the philosophical problem of pain and evil are irresolvable to a good Creator. I remain unconvinced in my intellect that the goodness and beauty I experience and perceive with my senses are explained by scientific theories about random forces that inevitably collide to result in my personal consciousness of self and my appreciation for goodness, and truth, and beauty. Only God could make me. Only God. With the Psalmist I cry that “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Yes! Yes! I am a creation and not an accident! And I humbly submit as a creation to my Creator.

The Catholic Church says with Scripture that we will be accountable if we should dare to corrupt our minds with thoughts that deny what our senses tell us. We can’t be accountable for supernatural truth until we hear it. But the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork. The knowledge of God is in the natural order. All creation declares a Creator.

But I should pause in my reverie to ask Snowpea…for what reason, for what proof would you not believe? I suggest that the problem lies not in our intellect, but in our ever-changable and truly crazy feelings.

God bless you on this Septuagesima Sunday and teach you to ignore your feelings and observe and appreciate the wonders of nature…and then to bless you with the gift of supernature…FAITH! A Hail Mary for Snow Pea.

Plantagenet
 
Thank you ALL!

I am seeing a thread here that is asking me to look to nature and I will do that, even with all the snow and dreariness out there. I have a primrose in my house I bought a few months ago that keeps on living, maybe that is a sign. No wonder the stores sell primroses and people buy them at this time of year, these New England months are bleak.

I am inclined to melancholy as well as the last poster, it is hard to overcome. What is the difference between melancholy and sloth brought on by melancholy? I am not sure.

Anyway thank you all for the wonderful responses and pms, I will ponder each one.
 
The intellect has an insatiable appetite for knowledge. The intellect cannot sit still otherwise boredom sets in. Truth points out the way to the will what the good is. We have a natural inclination to know the truth and the will has a natural inclination to get the good. That’s human nature.
Knowing that:
  1. Why do we care if somebody lies to us?
  2. Why do we care if we have been wronged or not?
  3. What is Justice and why do we demand it?
  4. Why do we think about abstract things like the ones just mentioned?

    A soul. We all intuitively know we have one. The animals couldn’t care less about No. 1 thru 4, but we do. That soul is created by God. That is what makes us different from the animals.
 
I talked with Him a few times in my life. Naturally only internal assurance, and know only from the long term consequences that there was nothing wrong in His answers, which time to time changed my life.

My experience is not unique.

This kind of experience is not personal revelation, only the grace of God in the level of the intellect. It does not makes anyone better than others, and one had to talk it over with his/her confessor several times.

If you have steady confessor, and ready to talk over with him internal experiences, sit down in a quiet place, best place is a church, say: ‘God I am here, what do you want’. Afterward wait patiently. He is not coming quickly, you have to do that several times. Just wait, and empty your mind. The Adversary is more eager to come than God, so you have to talk it over with your confessor, and if he said that you are not mature enough for this, than stop it and pray oral prayers and meditate on given topics.

God is everywhere and He is ready to communicate, if you are under the strict control of the Church through your faithful confessor.
 
God reveals to us how we know that he exists, how we are to know that he is in our midst.

*Now command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant to come to a halt in the Jordan when they reach the edge of the waters." So Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD, your God.” He continued: "This is how you will know that there is a living God in your midst, who at your approach will dispossess the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. The ark of the covenant of the LORD of the whole earth will precede you into the Jordan. (Now choose twelve men, one from each of the tribes of Israel.) When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the LORD, the Lord of the whole earth, touch the water of the Jordan, it will cease to flow; for the water flowing down from upstream will halt in a solid bank." The people struck their tents to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant ahead of them. No sooner had these priestly bearers of the ark waded into the waters at the edge of the Jordan, which overflows all its banks during the entire season of the harvest, than the waters flowing from upstream halted, backing up in a solid mass for a very great distance indeed, (Joshua 3:8-16)*God’s miracle did not happen until the Israelites stepped into the flooded river out of obedience and faith. Every time I am faithful and obedient to God in something which is difficult to understand or difficult to do, God comes back and gives me a sure sign that he is present.

For me it’s faith first, knowledge and understanding second.

-Tim-
 
I grew up in a home of non-religious people, and I went searching for God myself at a rather young age. I was having trouble with the concept, since it wasn’t taught to me. One day, I got to thinking about how powerless I am, and how there was most certainly a power greater than myself. Who wouldn’t argue that we are powerless over nature, and the events (good or bad) that happen to us.? I have come to acknowledge the ‘power greater than myself’ as God. Once I did that, it was easier to see God in many,many situations in my life. Today I have a personal understanding of God, and am acutely aware of his presence in my daily life. I am actively researching Catholicism to see if this is a good option for me. This has been a slow process, but a positive process.

I don’t know if my story is aligned with what the Catholic church teaches about getting to know God, but it is my story, and I am sticking to it. 🙂
 
snowpea said:
I honestly would like to know

I don’t want “proof” as much as a reason to believe (I am not so naive as to require proof).

Is it a feeling you have or an event that convinced you?

What would be the best way to seek God that would help you to know He is there and trust Him?

Thank you.
Click to expand...
Pardon me for being naive, I do require “proof’”. The question is what constitutes proof. I have come to the conclusion that as in mathematics you start with basic assumptions which cannot be proved (Whitehead and Russell) . Similarly, in philosophical matters you can look over the proofs given by St. Thomas Aquinas and to me they are a rational basis for accepting them as proof that there is a God. i accept the premises from which God is deduced, but I know that many modern scientific types say otherwise. I just think they are wrong that is all.

It is not a feeling or event that convinced me.

The best way to seek God is to pray for guidance in this matter. You need some taith to start with and faith is “… A supernatural gift of God enabling us to believe what he has revealed.” (the old penny catechism).
 
In the Bible it says:

Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened.

The more I seek God, the more I find God everywhere I look. I see simple things like, a bee going from flower to flower. The bee needs the flowers for nectar, the flowers need the bee to pollinate and we enjoy the honey from keeping the bees. Everything is connected in this great master plan when you look at a system as large as our solar system or as small as a bee. Everything has meaning, purpose, life, order.

As a Christian, when I look at Jesus I see an example that if we all followed, there would be no hunger, no war, no fighting, no chaos.

The more I look for God the more I see God. The more I ask for God to reveal himself to me, the more he does, the more oppertunities I take to learn about the Word, the more become available.

Ask/receive seek/find knock/door opens

I pray God finds you when you seek The Word.
 
Well as for “logic” I shall also give you some of that…

No theologian or historian would dispute the fact that Jesus Chist was the single most influential figure ever to walk the face of the earth. His actions, words, and miracles changed the course of History. He inspired entire societies, He redefined the standards of morality, He changed the course of Nations. He has bought to the table an unexplainable measure of purpose, peace and joy to the lives of Hundreds of Millions. And the Kingdom continues to this moment.

In His brief life Christ fulfilled HUNRDEDS of OT prophecies describing the birth, life and death of the messiah. Let alone the Miracles and wonders.

Lets put this in perspective as Dr Stoner, and Dr Robert Newman have with their calculations on probability.

The statistical probability of “one person” fulfilling just 48 of these detailed prophecys is… 1 in 10 to the 157 power. In case your not familiar with that number? Its a 1 with a 159 zeros after it. Christ completes over 3X this number. How is it possible? Luck?

And yes He claimed to be the Messiah and the Son of the Living God. Not only did He make perposterous claims, He backed them all up. For example in John 11:38-44 Jesus not only claims He can raise people from the dead, but He proves it. Jesus revives a rotting corpse in a tomb? Do you know anyone who can do this? Because I don’t. How about Peter fishing and catching nothing, till Christ encourages Him to try one more time in a place He suggests? Calms the Storm on the Sea? Heals, Exorcisms, Transfiguration and it just continues on with this guy called Christ.

Jesus then claims He is going to be executed, buried for three days and would then rise from the dead? So perposterous the apostles don’t even believe this one. That is until Christ appears in their midst after His resuuection. BTW Mary is the “only” one who never doubts His word for a moment. “Do everything He tells you” Thats what Mary has to say, smart advice I would say. Matter of Fact, he volunteers for the Cross. He basically said, “is that the best you have”?, “I’ll take that then”!

Christ coverts atheists? How about Dr Charles Payne, nuclear physicist with not 1 but 8-Doctorates, gives up his work trying to disclaim Christ and instead sets out to Prove Science is Gods work???

Did you know the author of Ben Hur, started out writting “The Myth of God” after in depth research he discarded the manuscript and writes “Ben Hur”?

At the Annunciation Marys asks Gods Angel, “How shall this be” . Now everyone knows this story, but not everyone grasp the last lines that Gabriel speaks. He tells Mary look at Elizabeth, will God nothing is impossible. What is Gods messenger really saying? He’s saying look around you God is everywhere. You just have to open your eyes and actually see with them. He has always been here, He is waiting for those not in communion with Him to receive His mercy.

I always knew God was Right Here with me, I couldn’t see him or catch him. Years later I met God in War. I had been caught in a fire fight which resulted in being hit 5X from close range. I knew I was seriously hurt, and here, time and pain somehow went into slow motion. Anyway I’m waiting for the Surgeon now and talking to the other Doctor who’s doing a total exam. So I ask when the Surgury is going to start? He states, Son, we are waiting for the Surgeon who will be here shortly. But I honestly don’t think you gonna make it so I called the Catholic Priest to read you your last rights, which He did. Well I’m talking to God now, and we are having a very frank conversation at this point. Now I know I’m a sinner. So theres no surpizes’s here. But I also know God is God and I believe in God. So about this time I go unconscious. I wake 3-days later with tubes everywhere, drains, IVs, Breathing tubes, Stitchs, Staples, Sutchers and Casts, life support monitors the whole Nine Yards.

So then the Surgeon comes in with a Smile. He didn’t ask me how I felt, if I was in pain. He asked if I believed in Miracles? He explained that one bullet on a straight path actually did a U-Turn around my Aorta, another missed my spine by 1/8 of on inch. Then with all chaos I flatlined. So this was not a “near-death” experience. I was dead. And I seen the lights, all of that, and Gods Angel said, You Have to go back. There was no choice. And the surgeon explained he seen and performed every type of GSW, Knife, and shrapnel wound surgery under battle conditions, and had never seen anything like this.

Needless to say, I don’t miss a day praying. You exist and live by Gods Mercy Alone.

If you want to truly know Him? Heres what you do. First your soul has to be supernaturally conscrated to God through baptizm. Then place yourself in meditative, contemplative prayer recitation. Like a devotion of recitation prayers such as the Rosary. So while you are praying the Rosary and contemplating the mysteries. Place yourself right there in the situation. And make this a practice

For example the 4th sorrowful mysteries and the Carrying of the Cross… I can meditate on this mystery and feel the sweat and dusty dirt burning my eyes, I can feel the burning lacerations with stinging dust and dirt, I can feel the pain and the weight of the Cross. I can feel,the racing thought of the mind that goes from confidence to doubt. I can feel the burning Sun.

Pray like this, and you will find the living God. Pray daily and follow Gods Law, ask for nothing in return, accept His will unconditionally. And God will soon be living through you. It takes an effort and a sacrifice. It won’t happen in week, probly not a month. But I’'ll tell you what, do this for a solid year, then you’ll know of Gods existence of sure.
 
If you are walking in the woods and come across a watch sitting on a stump, you would know that the watch was designed and constructed for the purpose of telling time. You wouldn’t marvel in amazement that molecules somehow randomly came together in such a wonderful way that there sits before you the wonder of a watch. You know there is a watch maker.

So it is if you look at the order, variety, and balance of all created things. On the molecular level, like a strand of human DNA. The variety of ecosystems, and their balance. (such a balance that scientists are always cautioning not to disturb or disrupt or the entire thing unravels!) The vastness of the cosmos, all with great variety, all in order. The complexity and diversity should cause one to conclude that there is a Maker who has an intelligent design.

Seek Him with a humble heart and He will reveal Himself to you. Be proud and demanding of ‘proof’, and He will hide himself from you. The fact that you are asking with a sincere heart means He is drawing you closer to Himself. God bless.
 
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