Where does one look to find God?

Question

I'm an atheist but I ask sincerely, so respectful answers please.

For those of you who are believers, where is it that you have found him? I'm assuming the answer might be faith, within yourself, or a combination of the two.

I'm interested in your thoughts on this.

These are lovely answers. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts.

Answer 1

A very beautiful question!
At various times in ones life this question must be addressed.

I will give you an Ancient Sufi Teaching, dating back thousands of years.

A young student ask this question to his teacher, "Where does one look to find God.", and the teacher after reflecting for some time gave this response: "God is within man - and man is within God."
The young student was perplexed, and had a look of
frustration on his innocent and radiant face.
The teacher then told the young student to go and stare into the fishpond that was close by. A short time later the young student returned, and the teacher ask him what he saw. The young student said that the only thing he saw was a reflection of himself in the pond. The teacher smiled and said to the young student, I see that you have answered your own question, "Where does one look to find God", all by yourself.

This is my answer, you must find the answer for yourself.
Find a mirror, and see the beauty that lies within.................

Answer 2

Yes, a combination of the two...

Divinity within oneself I suppose. I will honestly tell you I don't have an answer that is original or that will be anymore interestin than the answer of someone else. All I can tell you is that I believe and I believe with an ardent will. I have found Him in just about everything in life from particular people to places to memories...

Really, I'm interested to know why you don't believe- I mean this in a sincere way. Yes I am Christian, but I completely respect the beliefs of others. If you'd like to discuss anything related to this matter, feel free to click on my name and send me a message!

Answer 3

First you need to be born again and then He will be living on the inside of you. I would recommend asking God for the gift of the Holy Spirit to reveal His word to you and then reading a chapter a day out of Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. Meditate on His word day and night and throughout the day just talk to Him like you would any truly awesome best friend just thank Him for all He has already done and all His countless blessings that the world has made us take for granted until it gets taken away.
I like to think about how Awesome He truly is. How He made that sun that never explodes or sends off a huge solar flare propelling it at us or out of orbit. Instead it stays just at the right distance to keep us warm. And those clouds that have no real substance yet they pick up enough water that they can flood entire states. Why do they pick it up? do they drink it? do they need it? or is it just to fulfill God purpose of watering the vegetation that we so desperately need for food and oxygen. Are you aware that a 20ft. X 20ft. X 1in. deep pond of water weighs approx. 2000lbs. / 200 gallons. Take care and may God bless you spiritually.

P.S. With Armageddon right around the corner I would say I am happy you are at least showing an interest.

Answer 4

Read Matthew ch 5. The Kingdom of Heaven does not come by observation. It is within you. If you take His word serious He will make Himself known to you. Blessed are the peacemakers, Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousness and so on. You will find Him when you search with your whole heart. There is a difference between finding the Kingdom of God and religion. If the blind lead the blind both fall into the ditch.

Answer 5

Within yourself, faith, and within others. A wise person side to me once that he found God in the works of a lady who worked tirelessly for the poor in India.....So, I think you can find God with a combination of things.

Peace, Love, and Blessings
Greenwood

Answer 6

In my heart.. I was a lucky one. He found me. I didn't go and search Him. I was once and atheist too but knew something was missing, didn't know what, but there was something just not right. If I would drive by a church I would get goose bumps. I didn't even have to know i was driving by, It got to the point were I looked for a church when I got goose bumps, and there was one. I was drawn to Church and cried the first time I went in.

Answer 7

There are several scripture--including one spoken by Jesus which state that God, The Father, and the Kingdom Of God are all found "within."

It helps (and is not necessary) if you believe that there is within each one of us, a 'divine spark'--some refer to this as 'a soul' or 'spirit'. Seek it.

The problem is, is that while we desire to know God for ourselves, we often look to 'things outside' of us to confirm this, and most truths.

Why trust something outside of yourself that is fallible, wrong and imperfect?

Trust yourself.

What is faith?

Before you answer, consider the following:

(begin quote)
In the New Testament faith comes from PISTIS which is derived from the root word PEITHO which basically means "to prove a thing true or false by evidence, argument, reason or experiment and through the guidance of your inner authority."

The book of Hebrews gives an expanded definition: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Heb 11:1

We can again find that the Greek will give us a much clearer translation here. "Substance" comes from HUPOSTASIS and in modern translations it is usually rendered "assurance" or "confidence" but in reality one English word cannot do it justice. It more literally means "That state of mind which supports an idea through a sustained effort." "Evidence" comes from ELEGECHOS which means "to prove a matter true or false". The word indicates that faith establishes the true reality. Thus a clearer translation of the preceding verse would be: "Now faith is having that state of mind which sustains that which is hoped for and reveals the truth of those things we do not see." This definition corresponds much better with the root meaning of the Greek PISTIS, which is translated faith.

If we have faith, we can sustain an idea until it is proven true or false. It is never a blind unreasoning belief.

The correct definition of faith should make the word more acceptable to the more enlightened and intelligent persons who were previously repulsed to using it. We see that the initiate Edison, for instance, had great faith. He sustained the idea of the light bulb until he proved its validity by making it a physical reality. When faith is sustained on a true principle a physical manifestation occurs. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed." Heb 11:2

We are also told: "But without faith, it is impossible to please Him" (God). Heb 11:6 Unless we can sustain an idea or conviction and prove it by argument or externalization we cannot please God.

By this scriptural definition of faith, I know of very few pious religious people who have any semblance of faith, but ironically, there are numerous nonreligious people who have it.

If those who claim to have faith do not actually have it, then what do they have? After searching through numerous words in the Biblical Greek the closest I can find to match what is commonly miscalled "faith" is BLASPHEMOS which in the English means "blasphemer".. BLASPHEMOS literally means "to hinder by stating an unfounded, rumored', or unreasonable statement". Interestingly, most of those who claim to have faith cannot support their belief with any logical foundation or reasoning, but merely repeat what they have been taught.
(end quote)

URL/link: http://www.freeread.com/archives/943.php

Regards,

Answer 8

First, let me ask you a question. Do you feel like there is something missing from your life, and regardless of what you try, nothing seems to fill it? If you truly are interested in seeking God, the Bible would be a good place to start. Here are a few verses to get you started.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing. And all our righteousness acts are like filthy rags: We all fade as a leaf. And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

These verses show us that without God, we are unclean and out of fellowship with Him.

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this death came to all men, because all have sinned.

James 1:14-16 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then, when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

These verses show us that it is our own desires that draw us away from God, and when we are away from God, all there is is death.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eterenal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

John 1:12 But to those that receive Him, to them He gives the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.

God shows us through His word that while death will come to us all, we can have eternal life through His son.

Romans 10:9, 13 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.
For whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

I know that to the world, this all sounds like a big nonsensical fantasy; but if you step out on faith, believing that God will forgive you of your sins, you will find out that there is a reality in serving God. You will find that with God in your life, that empty spot inside of you will be filled.

Answer 9

GOD lives in the third heaven. So at the present time, if you claim to be an atheist, then God lives outside of your human body. When and if you accept Jesus as His son and your Savior, then you look within. He will be in your heart and your regenerated human spirit. GOD as the HOLY SPIRIT will reside wihin you and if you seek Him and His wisdom, you will hear Him, but from within. He speaks to you now, you just can't hear HIM.

Answer 10

Your heart is is trying to tell you some thing so listen to your heart and start doing the good it is trying to tell you to do and you will see more of God in your life and then you will have and experience with him in your life and nobody will be able to take that away from you then you will know that their is a God.