What Is Belief?

What Do You believe?

This question deserves more attention than we often give it. Psychiatrist Curt Thompson puts it plainly:

“We become what we pay attention to, and what we pay attention to is largely determined by what we believe.”

In other words, our lives—often without us even realizing it—are shaped by our beliefs.

Now, you might be thinking, That feels a bit heavy-handed. Do I really need to think that deeply about belief?

Well, consider this: Every time you go for a run or take your spouse out on a date, you're acting on a belief—that caring for your body or nurturing your marriage leads to something good and worthwhile. Why? Because you've witnessed the positive outcomes of these behaviours either in your own life or in the lives of people you admire—yes, even the Kardashians count.

In the same way, every action you take—big or small—reveals your beliefs. Whether it's cutting someone off in traffic to get ahead, or choosing to walk away from a toxic relationship, your behaviour reflects a conviction about what matters, what works, and what's reliable.

This same principle applies in our relationship with God.

From the earliest pages of the biblical narrative, belief has always been deeply connected to trustworthiness, reliability, and evidence—not in some abstract or vague sense, but rooted in a relationship with a person.

Consider the story of Abraham, who was called by God to leave his home and journey to an unknown land. At this point in the narrative, there’s no record of Abram having a personal relationship with God—at least not in a clearly defined way. He came from a culture shaped by ancestral memory, oral stories, and polytheistic tradition. But in the midst of that context, Abram received a call from a singular, personal God. And remarkably, he chose to believe the promise spoken to him:

“Go from your country…” (Genesis 12:1–3).

For Abram, at that moment, God’s word alone was enough to move him forward. As life unfolded, Abram encountered greater challenges, yet God’s word continued to meet him at every step. Over time, Abram learned to trust God with increasingly significant parts of his life.

So I ask again: What do you believe?

What do you believe about life?

About progress?

About goals?

About satisfaction?

Maybe—just maybe—the narrative of Scripture shows us that believing is not a one-time event but an ongoing practice of returning to the God who speaks clearly and consistently, not once or twice, but over and over again.