Why isn't God giving you the proof that you crave?
Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. - Romans 1:28
Do you think God is playing a cruel joke on you? If he gave you all the proof in the world, would that make a difference? I don't think it would. It's kind of like the boy who got everything he ever wanted for Christmas and then two weeks later, he didn't want any of it. He was bored with it already and he was ready for something new. Maybe God wants to keep you on your toes by giving you his Word and asking you to have faith in him. He knows better than us so I'm not going to argue with him. I'd like to ponder just why he's not giving you the proof you so richly deserve. I can think of five reasons why God might not want to give you the proof that you need.
The first reason is because he doesn't have to give you the proof because he's in charge, not you. He not only created the universe, he controls it. He decides what he gives you, and maybe he knows that giving you the proof you crave, wouldn't be very good for you. How many times has proof swayed your opinion? If you're dead set on not believing something or someone, no amount of proof will change the way you feel about it. You'll just shrug it off because you really didn't care to begin with.
The second reason is because you don't need the proof. You may want the proof, but you don't need it. He is our creator and father in heaven and if he felt that we needed the proof, I believe he would have given it to us a long time ago, but it's not part of his plan. God gives us everything we need to live a good life. He's not going to steer you wrong because he loves you.
The third reason is to keep you humble. Many people who choose not to believe in God feel they are superior to those that do. God is not a fool. He knows this about you and he also knows that no amount of proof is going to convince a man filled with pride. A prideful man believes he is too intelligent to believe in such nonsense. It splits his soul in half because God is not giving him the blueprint he craves, which makes him spend his time debating whether God exists at all. A man filled with pride believes we are the fools for believing in a God that we cannot see, but we know deep within that he does exist.
The fourth reason is to test your ability to demonstrate faith. Noone has ever proved that God doesn't exist and noone has ever proved that he does. It takes a leap of faith which keeps you on your toes. There will be periods of doubt in everyone's life, but it doesn't make the truth any less or any more than what it is. Every emotion, especially love, can't be seen, and we definately have had times where we can't help how we feel. When you fall in love with someone, you don't tell them to prove it. You love them because they are who they say they are and they make you happy just to be around them. That my friend is love. By not giving you the proof you crave, God is able to hold your attention long enough to see if you will love him like you love your brother and that takes faith.
The fifth reason is that the proof you crave is all around you, but you just don't want to accept it. God is in everything and everyone. God created it all. God even had Jesus come down to earth to die on the cross just for you. How much more proof do you need than Jesus? Only the son of God could turn water into wine and make a blind man see. Can you imagine all the work that went into designing the human body? It is beyond any human's comprehension. It really makes you want to sit back and marvel at just how amazing God is.
I'm sure there are many more reasons, but the point is God knows why he chose to do it this way. It's his game plan, not ours. We are here for his purpose, not our own. God knows what's in your heart and he knows that nothing he says or does will change your mind. You will continue to test him and deny his existence, so he's leaving you to your devices to figure it all out thanks to free will. There may come a day when the walls around you crash down or a crisis hits you so hard it shatters everything you once believed to be true. Then what? You may discover that God will comfort your soul like nothing on this earth can. Amen.
