Belief a CHOICE?

[nimrod]

To believe in God is to have faith that He is, and to live as if He actually does exist. So by you saying that nothing inside of you has changed, I percieve that you really don't have the faith in God that the bible speaks of. If one lives by faith, as if God actually does exist, that is the change God is looking for. So I think it is probably more God who is waiting on you. Perhaps it is time for you to step out in faith and live as though He lives.

I could easily do that - 'live as if God does exist' - but I would only be pretending. I think... "Is that really what God wants? for me to feel I'm lying to myself?"

Peace, have a good week.

[Athanasius]

I could easily do that - 'live as if God does exist' - but I would only be pretending. I think... "Is that really what God wants? for me to feel I'm lying to myself?"

Peace, have a good week.

You would be pretending God exists, or you would be pretending to live as if God exists?

[nimrod]

You would be pretending God exists, or you would be pretending to live as if God exists?

If I just believed 'by choice', I would be pretending that i know God exists and reorienting everything else I have learned in life around that.
To others, it might well look as if I had found God. I am reasonably confident that apart from possibly knowledge of scripture I could come off as a long-serving Christian... but it would all be false.

I so often hear that the first step is faith, but to me, choosing to believe in the absence of evidence that geniunely convinces you is just choosing to pretend.
Is that really what God wants me to do?

[Athanasius]

If I just believed 'by choice', I would be pretending that i know God exists and reorienting everything else I have learned in life around that.
To others, it might well look as if I had found God. I am reasonably confident that apart from possibly knowledge of scripture I could come off as a long-serving Christian... but it would all be false.

I so often hear that the first step is faith, but to me, choosing to believe in the absence of evidence that geniunely convinces you is just choosing to pretend.
Is that really what God wants me to do?

That's the thing, isn't it: you wouldn't be so much pretending as you would be deceiving. I'm pretty sure God wouldn't want you to deceive, but as to what God would want you to do, I don't know beyond 'be honest'.

[nimrod]

That's the thing, isn't it: you wouldn't be so much pretending as you would be deceiving. I'm pretty sure God wouldn't want you to deceive, but as to what God would want you to do, I don't know beyond 'be honest'.

I hope that's the right thing too... definitely sounds more like the God I would like to know