Software is a set of digital instructions or programs that tell a computer or phone what to do.
In much the same way, belief functions like the software of the human mind. It powerfully shapes our thinking, character, decisions, attitudes, behavior, and actions.
The statement of THE WORD OF GOD IS THE WILL OF GOD organization expresses this truth well:
"We hold that what you believe will affect everything else you do."
The Apostle Paul also highlights the power of belief in Romans 10:17:
"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ."
The same principle applies more broadly:
people generally come to believe what they have first been exposed to and gradually develop confidence in it over time.
How People Form Their Beliefs:
- Childhood exposure:
Family, culture, and early teaching shape many of our foundational beliefs.
- Personal experience:
What we see, hear, touch, and experience for ourselves often influences our conclusions.
- Authority and experts:
Teachers, leaders, books, and scientists influence what people accept as true.
- Social groups:
Friends, communities, and society reinforce beliefs, values, and norms that we often adopt.
- Intuition:
Some ideas simply feel right or natural, even without careful examination.
- Reason and logic:
People also arrive at beliefs by evaluating facts and reasoning through evidence.
Why People Hold On to Their Beliefs:
- Confirmation bias:
People naturally look for evidence that supports what they already believe while overlooking evidence that challenges it.
- Habit:
Beliefs held for a long time become familiar and difficult to change.
- Comfort and meaning: Some beliefs provide security, hope, purpose, or a sense of identity, making them emotionally difficult to abandon.
The Power of Belief in Everyday Life:
Beliefs profoundly influence how people live:
- Some believe God will heal them and therefore never seek medical attention.
- Some believe the Holy Spirit is their teacher and therefore see no need for formal education.
- Some believe God will provide for all their needs and therefore make no effort to work or earn a living.
- Some believe suffering is necessary and therefore subject others to circumstances that unnecessarily increase their suffering.
- Some have the ability to help those in need but refuse to do so because they believe God alone should intervene directly, or that hardship is always God's way of teaching a person a lesson.
- Some believe they are God's agents to punish evildoers, and when individuals or governments act on this belief without due regard for justice and the rule of law, the consequences can become dangerous.
These examples demonstrate that beliefs are never merely private opinions. They shape actions, influence relationships, affect institutions, and ultimately impact entire societies.
The Perfect Belief:
The Bible concludes by offering every person the highest belief to embrace:
To love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself.
Such love seeks the highest good of both oneself and others. It refuses to do actual or intended harm and instead promotes truth, justice, mercy, compassion, and human flourishing.
When this belief becomes the "software" that governs a person's life, it transforms not only the individual but also families, communities, and nations.
Elijah Mutua Kirima.
Pastor.
THE WORD OF GOD IS THE WILL OF GOD.
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