My kids have been asking me many questions recently about faith and God. Hard questions that are not always easy for me to answer. There have been times when I can tell afterwards that they are still confused by my answer. It’s a bit nerve racking and I found myself seeking hard to find that one answer that will “convince” them that God is real.
Growing up I had many of the same doubts. When I took them to adults that I trusted I was often given what many call “Sunday school” answers that made sense as long as I didn’t seek to go deeper beyond those answers. Whatever couldn’t be answered was attributed to my need for faith.
My 9-year-old son asked me the other day, “If other religions think their god is real and we think the same about Jesus, how can we be sure that we are praying to the real God?”
I did my best to explain in age appropriate language about fulfilled prophecy, testimony of witnesses in Jesus’ day, etc. We then moved into faith and how faith is often the bridge that covers the gaps of the unknown until we get to heaven. He seemed satisfied with my answer but I could tell in his eyes that he needed more.
This has been plaguing me for the past few days. I don’t want to hand my religion and belief system down to my children. I want them to build a foundation that God gives them, one that will withstand the storms that life will bring their way.
I’ve been praying and begging God to give me the right answer, the correct way to explain God to them in a way that they’ll have confidence in what they believe. I’ve racked my brain for analogies to simplify it for them. I’ve searched for verses that would pad my answers but nothing seemed to help them long-term.
I had trouble sleeping tonight and my mind kept returning to this prayer, “How do I help make you real to my children? What can I tell them?”
The thought then entered my head, “Pray that they will see me!”
This made great sense to me. Faith is being sure of what is unseen and we do need faith. So maybe this message is not that they see God with their physical eyes but with the spiritual eyes of their hearts.
Now don’t get me wrong. Seeing does not always entail believing. The disciples were with Jesus day in and out. They saw the miracles and had him personally explain his parables to them. However, in many ways it appears the depth of their belief evolved.
In Matthew 14:22-32 we read of Jesus walking on water. Peter questions Jesus and asks if it’s really is him walking on the water for him to call him onto the water. The story tells us that Peter momentarily walks on water until he turns his focus off of Jesus and onto the waves. Once they return to the boat, those in the boat declare, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
They say it as if there was still some doubt in their hearts beforehand. Their spiritual eyes were opened a bit more and their belief in Jesus was deepened.
Maybe my own belief can be deepened and this is a prayer that is not solely for my kids but should pray it for myself and the rest of my family and loved ones. Yes I truly believe but there are still moments when like the disciples, I have questions and doubt. Perhaps belief comes from when we see God - see him at work in the lives of others and ourselves and faith is what holds and carries us through the times of unknown and moments of silence.
I’m thinking out-loud here…what are your thoughts?
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