Most People Really Do Believe in God
Even if they don’t want to say so.
Yesterday’s post from Forrest McPhail, “Sending You Good Vibes,” brought this to mind. The way I hear or see that idea is often in this form: “thoughts and prayers,” or sometimes just “thoughts are with you,” as if one would think the individual has the mental power to alleviate the suffering a friend is experiencing. That is not what they mean, however . Rather, they are invoking a sense of prayer to some sort of power that maybe (if “he/she” is in a good mood) could help.
A few years ago, we had a funeral in our church. The lady was a lovely Christian who lived in an apartment in her daughter and son-in-law’s house. She was one of those spry little ladies who just kept right on going, almost to the end. Then one day she passed on to heaven. Her daughters came to me and asked me to conduct the service. At the time, most of the family members were not church goers at all, so I wondered how they would respond to the message.
As I prepared the message, I thought of a phrase people often say, “she’s gone to a better place.” I was sure that the dear lady whose service I was conducting had indeed gone to a better place, but it struck me that unbelievers often use this same comment to comfort one another. It’s almost a universal assurance that we all know we need.
We face that most anxious time of loss, the loss of a loved one, and we certainly can’t imagine the horror of having gone on to a worse place. We want to believe that things are better for them, that the pain and suffering are over and they are alive to the eternal joy of perfect fellowship with God.
Lost people have the same sort of longing. They express the same hope, either “he’s gone to a better place,” or “she’s looking down on us now,” and so on. You’ve no doubt heard these expressions as well. Are they mere platitudes? Just wishes? Or is something else going on?
It seems to me that God who made us as body and spirit instilled an instinctive sense in us that this life is not all there is. There is something more that comes after. The hardened atheist will deny it, but when he comes to his mother’s casket will affirm, “she’s not really there, she’s in a better place.”
This same sense is behind “thoughts and prayers” and “good vibes” and other expressions of comfort. This life is not all there is, and everyone knows it.
Most unbelievers won’t want to admit it or think much further beyond this, but when you hear of someone give some such expression, why don’t you say, “that’s interesting, I didn’t know you were a man (or woman) of prayer,” and see what happens. I bet you could get an evangelistic conversation going as they pause for a little bit and think about what they are saying.
For that funeral, I made the common comment, “she’s gone to a better place,” a feature of the message. I pointed out that the very expression implies belief in a hereafter. I challenged the hearers to think about their own soul and what comes after this life.
Thankfully, one man came up to me after the service. Numerous conversations followed, resulting in a profession of faith, baptism, and faithful attendance in our services. Other family members are coming as well, some more than others, but the Lord isn’t done yet, I’m sure.
We should tune our ears to evangelistic opportunities that common expressions can lead us to. Most people really do believe in God, though they really want nothing to do with him. God seeks such to save! Maybe you could help touch someone’s deepest beliefs by turning their casual statement into a soul-winning opportunity.
Don Johnson is the pastor of Grace Baptist Church of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.