by Mary Bair

If I asked you if you believed in God, the answer would be a quick…"Of course."It’s easy to believe that he exists, according to a Harris poll, 82% of Americans believe IN God. Believing in God is the easy part. The world is full of intricate patterns, and microcosms that have to fit together a certain way, for the universe to work, and for life to exist. It is hard to imagine it just came into existence. There has to be a higher power that put it all together.

The hard part is BELIEVING GOD. Believing He knows YOU, or even cares about you. It’s hard to believe when God says, "But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:7 KJV).Why would someone who can create a universe, be interested in something or someone so insignificant?

The reason he cares is because we ARE the reason he created the universe. "Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."(Genesis 1:26-28 NIV).He did not create us in HIS image, and give us dominion over everything if we are the afterthought. He did not give his only begotten son for us (John 3:16) because we are unimportant to him. We are not the insignificant part of this world, a forgotten piece; we are the centerpiece.

Unfortunately, Satan exists. He wants us to doubt that God cares; he wants us to look around and say, ‘If God exists, why does everything hurt so much? Why is there so much bad in this world?’ The world can be a lonely, unforgiving place Satan has planned it this way. The truth is Satan rules this world. "The devil who rules this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe." (2 Corinthians 4:4) He has taken this gift the Lord gave us and twisted it for his purpose. He wants God to be unimportant and ineffective in our lives. He is hoping if he can confuse our thoughts, and create doubt we will then stop relying on God and believing the truth. He wants us to believe we are lost to God. If he can convince us God has forsaken us, or does not exist then Satan triumphs. We have to remember God is not gone; He is just not being heard. The cacophony of noise, the chaos of the universe is a distraction Satan has created to try to drown out the Lord.

Listen for Him; let his comfort wash over you. When grief and sadness overwhelm you; when the world is unbearable cry out to Him."The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles." (Psalm 34:17 NKJV).

The pain caused in this world is REAL, we have to believe God and take him at his word that he "will not leave us or forsake us" (Deuteronomy 31:7). When you are suffering, it’s ok to ask God why everything is so messed up. It’s ok to ask why you hurt so much. What we have to remember, is after we cry out, we need to be still and listen for him. (Psalm 46:10). He will answer. "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you…" Declares the LORD… (Jeremiah 29:12-14 NIV)

You can BELIEVE HIM when he says, " I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord , plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

Stand on His word.

"What then shall we then say to in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those who God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who has raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long;we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39 NIV

God is the ultimate victor, you CAN believe him!

Copyright Mary Bair