How do you know God is real?

The Atheist Alliance Convention was held this weekend in Washington D.C. with a sell-out crowd (and over 600 on the wait-list). This kind of response poses the question...when did it become trendy to deny the existence of God? People used to be classified by the type of church they attended. You have your "once saved, always saved" Baptists, your "Holy Rolling" Pentecostals, your "Moderate" Methodists, and your "Legalistic" Catholics. Now, it seems there is no longer the automatic assumption that you attend church or believe in God, but rather Do you believe in Him?

Describing the existence of God to friends or co-workers used to be easy. It simply involved telling them that it was easier and safer to believe than not to. See, if you're right about there being no God, and I'm wrong...then at least I have lived a good life, been kind and loved others. If I'm right and your wrong...then you go to Hell, while I live an eternity in Heaven. Things are no longer that simple. People are much more scientific in their logic, and they need irrefutable evidence and proof of His existence. Why is that? What happened to our child-like faith and innocence. What is it that makes a child rush off to try anything, no matter the consequences? It's their faith that someone will be there to catch them if they fall. They don't know that's how it will be, but they believe.

I see people who don't believe in the existence of God and I feel sorry for them. Without my faith, I would have no calling or purpose. And without that, why get up in the morning? Why go to a job that is unrewarding, and lacking true passion? Why would I go out of my way to help my brother if there wasn't a still small voice inside guiding me towards good and purity. I know God is real because of my want to do good things. I know God is real because I feel His comfort when I am sad. I know God is real because He has healed my illnesses time and time again. I see His power in the wind, the rain, all of creation. I know He is real because I am created in His likeness, full of His grace and love. I know He is real because if He were not, I would be insignificant. And frankly, we are all far from insignificant.