Is God Real? What If the Evidence You’re Looking For Starts With Going to God?
Searching for Proof That God Is Real
Have you been searching for proof that God is real? Have you found yourself asking friends why they believe what they believe or scrolling through the internet hoping to find something that feels solid enough to trust? Maybe you have gathered answers. Maybe people have shared their stories or given you reasons for their faith. Maybe you have even found pieces of evidence that seem meaningful, but they still do not feel like enough to help you fully lean in and say, yes, this is what I believe.
If that describes you, you are not alone. Many people find themselves in this space between curiosity and hesitation. I am genuinely glad you are searching. Something has been stirred in your heart enough for you to start seeking answers and that matters. At the same time, I want to gently explore how you are searching and where you are looking, because that part of the process is often just as important as the questions themselves.
Where We Look When We Are Searching for God
When we search for truth, most of us begin with the sources that feel familiar. It reminds me of what happens when one friend tells you something another friend said or did, and the story leaves you feeling unsure. It might have felt hurtful or confusing, and now you are trying to make sense of it. Naturally, you would talk to the friend who shared the information and ask more questions. You might even go to other people who were present to see if they remember it the same way. Gathering information from different perspectives is a normal part of trying to understand what happened.
This is often what it looks like when people begin searching for God. You have heard things about Him. You have heard about Jesus. Maybe these ideas came from childhood, from friends, from the media, or from snippets of Scripture that you picked up along the way. And now you are trying to piece together what is true. So you listen to podcasts. You talk to Christian friends. You read articles. You scroll through online conversations. You collect thoughts and stories and opinions, hoping that something will finally make the pieces fit.
None of this is wrong. In fact, these conversations can be helpful and can give you insight. They can point you to experiences that others have had with God. But if we go back to that analogy of the group of friends, there comes a point where you realize that no matter how much secondhand information you gather, the only person who can tell you the full story is the one involved. Eventually, if you really wanted to understand what your friend meant or what they felt, you would need to talk to them directly.
This is where the search for God begins to shift. Not by abandoning the conversations and resources you have been using, but by recognizing that they can only take you so far. They can guide you. They can encourage you. But they cannot replace going to God Himself and asking Him to reveal who He is. That step often feels vulnerable, especially when you are unsure. But it is the step that brings you closer to the source, the One you have been trying to understand all along.
What It Actually Looks Like to Go to God
So what does it really mean to go directly to God? For many people who are searching, that idea can feel unfamiliar or intimidating. It might even feel strange if you do not fully believe yet. But going to God does not require perfect faith. It does not require certainty or polished words. It simply asks for honesty and a willingness to reach out.
Two practices can be especially meaningful for someone who is genuinely searching.
Talking to God in Prayer
Prayer is often misunderstood as something reserved only for people who already believe with confidence. But Scripture shows that God hears honesty. He listens to humility. He responds to hearts that are willing to seek Him.
You can talk to God in a very simple and sincere way. The most important part is honesty. Your prayer does not have to be long or formal. It might sound like this:
“God, I do not know if you are real. I do not fully believe right now, but I want to know the truth. If you are real, please help me see it. Help me discern what is true.”
Or even:
“God, I do not know what I believe. But if you are really there, would you give me a sign? Would you help me understand who you are?”
This kind of prayer matters because it is your heart reaching toward Him. It is you choosing to go directly to the source, even with your questions.
Another meaningful form of prayer is inviting a trusted Christian friend or pastor to pray over you and for you. Scripture speaks to the power of a righteous person’s prayer. It highlights the strength and encouragement that comes through community and intercession. Having someone who knows God personally lift you up in prayer can bring comfort and clarity, and it can help you feel supported as you search for truth. This does not replace your own conversations with God, but it can come alongside them in a powerful way.
Opening the Word of God
Another way to go directly to God is to open Scripture. Christians believe that the Bible is not just a book filled with stories or ancient teachings. It is the Word of God. It reveals His character, His promises, His heart, and His relationship with humanity. If you want to know who God is, spending time in His Word allows you to learn from Him directly.
You do not need to understand everything you read. You do not need to agree with every line right away. You can read with an open heart and a simple prayer in your mind that says, “God, if these words are true, help me see.”
Think of it like getting to know a new friend. If you wanted to understand who they are, you would need to spend time with them. You would need to talk with them, listen to them, and build a relationship over time. If you never spoke to them or never spent time with them, that friendship would naturally fade or never grow at all.
The same is true with God. Whether you are searching, brand new to faith, or have been following Jesus for many years, knowing Him requires time with Him. It requires nurturing and tending to that relationship in the same way you would with any person you care about. Scripture is one of the most meaningful ways to do that because it gives you direct access to His voice and His heart.
Opening the Bible and spending time with Him is not about checking a box. It is about being with the One you are trying to understand. It is about creating space for God to speak to you as you seek Him with your whole heart.
Seeking God With Your Whole Heart
Up until now, we have been talking about the source you turn to. We have looked at where you go when you want answers, comfort, or direction. This next part invites you to slow down and look not only at the source, but also at the heart behind your seeking. It brings the focus inward. It helps you notice the posture you carry when you search for God.
Scripture gives us a clear picture of what it looks like to seek God with intention. It speaks to the kind of heart that draws close to Him. These passages do not describe perfection. They describe openness, sincerity, and a willingness to keep showing up even when you feel unsure.
Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV) says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” This is not a demand for flawless effort. It is an invitation to bring your whole self. God meets you when you come honestly, even if all you can bring is uncertainty and a few quiet questions.
Proverbs 8:17 (NIV) adds, “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” This verse reminds you that seeking is an active choice. It is a relationship that grows each time you move toward Him, even in small ways.
Together, these Scriptures affirm something important. Seeking is not about having the right words or knowing exactly what to ask. It is about letting your heart lean in. It is about choosing to look for God in your questions, your confusion, your pain, and your hope.
This type of seeking becomes the difference between gathering information about God and actually knowing Him. It is the moment when you shift from hearing things secondhand to beginning a direct relationship. It is where healing, clarity, and growth start to take shape.
Taking a Moment to Reflect
Let’s take a moment to reflect. Below are some questions you can gently ask yourself as you begin to look at your own heart and the ways you have been searching.
These questions are not meant to make you feel guilty or exposed. They are simply meant to help you understand your own heart a little more clearly. Many people search for God while also trying to stay safe. Often that comes from pain, loss, or past experiences that made trust feel costly. God is not surprised by that. He understands the reasons you guard yourself.
Asking these kinds of questions is often where the search begins to deepen. Not when every doubt disappears, but when you allow yourself to approach God honestly, even with uncertainty. Whole-hearted seeking does not mean the absence of questions. It means choosing to bring those questions to God instead of keeping them outside the door.
Whenever you are ready, or as you feel able, I invite you to gently reflect on the questions below as you begin to dig a little deeper.
Have you been searching with openness, or have you been holding God at a distance to protect yourself from disappointment?
Have you been willing to consider truth that might challenge your doubts, or have you mainly been looking for information that confirms them?
Have you been curious about God, but hesitant to engage with Him directly?
Have you been seeking answers, but avoiding vulnerability?
When Past Hurt Shapes the Way You Seek
As you reflect on these questions, you may begin to notice something else. You might recognize that past hurts, painful experiences, or seasons of loss have shaped the way you approach God. Those experiences can make it harder to trust, to be vulnerable, or to fully lean into a relationship, whether that relationship is with God or with other people.
Sometimes the same patterns that show up in your search for God also show up in your relationships. Guarding your heart, staying distant, or keeping things surface level can feel like a way to stay safe. These patterns often make sense when you look at what you have been through. They are not signs of failure. They are signs that something inside you learned how to protect itself.
This is where therapy can be especially helpful. Working with a counselor allows you to gently sort through those past experiences and understand how they are still impacting your relationships, your faith, and your ability to be vulnerable. Therapy creates space to explore these patterns with curiosity and compassion rather than judgment.
Christian mental health counseling can be particularly meaningful in this process because it brings your walk with Jesus into the room. It honors your faith while also addressing emotional wounds, relational patterns, and the ways pain has shaped your story. It allows healing to take place in a way that considers both your relationship with God and your relationships with others.
An Invitation to Keep Seeking
If you have made it this far, I want you to know how meaningful that is. Searching takes courage. Questioning takes honesty. And choosing to slow down and reflect on your heart takes intention. Wherever you find yourself right now, whether you feel close to belief or still very unsure, your willingness to seek matters.
You do not need to have everything figured out to take the next step. You do not need to resolve every doubt before you go to God. Seeking is often a process, not a moment. It unfolds as you continue to show up with openness, curiosity, and honesty. Scripture reminds us that God is not distant from those who search for Him. He draws near to those who seek Him with their whole heart.
If you feel prompted, consider setting aside a few quiet moments today. You might open the Bible and read a small passage. You might speak a simple prayer out loud. You might sit in silence and acknowledge the questions and longings that are already within you. There is no right way to do this. There is only the invitation to come as you are.
If it feels helpful, you can use this prayer as a starting point:
“God, I am searching. I do not have all the answers, and I am not even sure what I believe right now. But I want to know what is true. If you are real, please help me see. Help me to seek you with my whole heart. Meet me where I am and guide me as I continue this journey.”
Wherever this search leads you, I encourage you to keep going. Keep asking. Keep seeking. And trust that the desire to search did not come from nowhere. You are not alone in this process, and you do not have to rush it.
Meet Your Therapist
Sarah Theimer is a Licensed Professional Counselor and founder of Breakthrough Mental Health Counseling, offering virtual therapy for adults across Virginia. She specializes in anxiety, trauma, and faith-integrated counseling, using evidence-based approaches including EMDR, CBT, and CPT. Sarah provides a warm, non-judgmental space for clients who want to explore emotional healing and, if desired, integrate their Christian faith into the therapeutic process.