I Do Not Believe

Disbelief is possibly the greatest barrier to understanding and growth. You and I both know what the weather forecast is for today. No matter where we are in the world the scientific method of meterology can tell us what the weather may do, given the knowledge that we have about weather patterns. The movement of cloud formations and winds, the temperature at different levels of the atmosphere and so on and so forth.

And based upon all this knowledge it is possible to predict the weather for the next hour, day or even up to three or four days out. How? Because of the observations we can make from land, air and space. Because of the things we know about cloud formations, wind patterns, temperature, humidity etc. All these and more are taken into account and a prediction is made based upon all these factors. 'Tomorrow it will be fine with scattered low cloud and a temperature of 21 degrees celsius, and a very gentle breeze from the northeast. Fridays out look is for increasing cloud with the possibility of light rain.'

So we set off for work or school in our light clothing expecting a reasonable day, and around ten or eleven that morning in roll the heavy dark clouds from the opposite direction predicted and down comes the torrent of rain that wasn't coming before Friday.

So What Happened

In short we got it wrong. Perhaps there was an unexpected and unpredicted change in the wind pattern or another high or low pressure cell developed that pushed it all on faster and with greater intensity than predicted. The weather can change just like that, we all know this, we have at some time all experienced this. But this doesn't mean that the forecaster(s) got it wrong. Sometimes, no doubt they do. Many times though, these sudden changes take place because of 'rogue weather patterns'. That is when we can see what is happening, we can predict what is going to happen, but then the weather patterns change dramatically in a way that we have seen before, but that we cannot predict.

And the usual response from us is that "they got it wrong again." Despite the fact that the forecast may have been accurate for the entire week, month or even year before, "they" still got it wrong. But, have you noticed how that dosen't stop us from listening to the forecast for the following day, and putting our faith in what "they" say.

"They," got it wrong, however we still have a measure of "faith" in "them." Why? Because we all know from experience that "they" sometimes get it right. In deed more often than not the forecasters are closer to making an accurate or correct predictiion than they are to getting it wrong. And because we have "seen" this and "experienced" this we continue to keep the faith and watch with interest what they have to say about the weather for tomorrow.

But We Refuse To Believe God.

Indeed many of us humans not only refuse to believe but "willingly" disbelieve. Or because we have no personal experience of God or His way of working and intervening for us, we have no faith in God. Simply because we refuse to believe, or even entertain the thought that God might actualy exist, afterall.

Now, God does not want a lot of little drones that don't think, and walk about with blind faith. He wants us all to believe because, we can see when He has put His hand in our path or on our life. He wants us to know from experience, He wants us to experience His love, His guidance, His grace. But without faith all of this is impossible.