Give God a Chance
How Relationship Paves the Way to Understanding and Belief
When people tell me they don’t believe in God or can’t stand organized religion or are repulsed by hypocrites in the church, I like to say “Give God a chance!” I have yet to hear any objection. Usually, the person will laugh nervously and say nothing.
In the final analysis, everyone is responsible to seek answers to life’s looming questions: Why am I here? What is the purpose for existence? Why is there something rather than nothing in the universe? Is there life after death?
Even a person who doubts God’s existence does not have anything to lose by reaching out. Try talking to God about your doubts. That is a great place to start.
The internet is full of negativity about matters of faith in God. Lately I keep reading about how the Catholic Church makes people feel guilty, so some believe the way to avoid guilt is to avoid the Church. That view is upside down, inside out.
All of us who are honest with ourselves know we are not perfect. We have let others down, put our own selfish interests above the welfare of others or the community — maybe even cheated on our income tax or done something much worse. Without any remedy for guilt, we carry these heavy burdens unnecessarily. All too often, extreme guilt drives people to addictions to seek escape.
One of my friends, an adult convert to Catholicism, explained in a highly personal way recently how dismayed he is by the common misunderstanding people have about the sacrament of confession in the Catholic Church and shared his own experience:
“I see this [misunderstanding] most often with the sacrament of confession. As if the going to confession is what incurs the guilt and inflicts the damage of that sin upon ourselves and others. Or worse yet, what solidifies the negative judgement against us, as if God needed our testimony to accurately weigh in on our case.
“What’s amazing (or what amazes me at least), is that my faith preceded my understanding. God did not give me the perspective in order that I may go to confession but has granted understanding to me after I placed my trust in him. Who can understand these things?
“Perhaps in this way God calls us to a greater love. He calls us to greater acts of charity to those around us, so that they may trust in the Lord through their trust in us as loving members of their family, their friends, their confidants. May we always reflect the very love we receive from our Heavenly Father — there is no greater calling!”
My friend’s experience echoes a famous saying of St. Augustine: “Believe that you may understand.” I know it sounds backwards, but surprisingly, it is true!
God is all about relationship. He wants a relationship with each of us individually. He knows our hearts and understands more about us than we understand about ourselves. If we have doubts, He alone understands the underlying reasons. He can and does work with whatever openness we are able to give. He lavishes love on us beyond measure.
In my life, I have known many atheists. It was a joy to see at least one of them turn to God when she was nearing the end of her life. She told me she was praying every day even though she did not see anything happening before her eyes. I know God honored her prayers because they were absolutely honest and sincere. I hope she died with a sense of peace or at least with the knowledge that her prayers were heard and that God loves her.
Matthew 7: 7–12 makes us a promise: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asks for a fish? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him?”
So forget all the excuses. Give God a chance!
