Is this all real?

I was reading Kate over at Girl Meets Geek and she wrote a post about her faith that included her thoughts about uncertainty about God. It made me think about my own faith for the moment.

Pastor Art, an interim Pastor who spent some time at our church once said, What if it's all a hoax? What if this whole "God" thing isn't real and the Bible is just a work of fiction? What if there really isn't a heaven?

He went on to say, What if it's not? What if God is real? What if the Bible really is fact and not fiction. What if heaven and hell are both real?

Prayer has been shown to have healing effects. I found this article that talks about how people who pray and have faith live longer. It improves their heart health. They tend to have better health habits, tend to be overall more at peace and happier.

And so what if it IS all a hoax? What good is all that prayer and clean living if when we die, that's it?

I guess, if it is a hoax - I feel like nothing in my life was wasted. Not my faith, not my time in prayer, not my efforts to live by scripture. Prayer energizes me. Makes me feel hopeful. Helps to center me. My children have a deep faith and everyday amaze me with their convictions and confidence. Nothing in their lives has been wasted. They are strong secure little people and faith in God, real or not, has made them better.

But I do have faith that there is a God. I believe He created us. I believe He created science and things like evolution and other complexities of our world. I believe that the diverse religions and people of the world are His creation and one day it will all make sense.

I frequently sin. I stumble. I am so far from perfect - but I am so glad that in prayer I feel forgiven, renewed and nurtured.

What about you? Do you have faith in a higher power? Does it give you purpose to have faith?

It does for me.

xoxo,

Trish