The language of God - a scientist presents evidence for belief

Quoted from the book:

Have you been turned off by the hypocritical behavior of those who profess belief? Again, keep in mind that the pure water of spiritual truth is carried in those rusty containers called human beings, so there should be no surprise that at times those foundational beliefs can be severely distorted. Do not rest your evaluation of faith, therefore, on what you see in the behavior of individual humans or of organized religion. Rest it instead on the timeless spiritual truths that faith presents.

Are you distressed by some specific philosophical problem with faith, such as why a loving God would allow suffering? Recognize that a great deal of suffering is brought upon us by our own actions or those of others, and that in a world where humans practice free will, it is inevitable. Understand, also, that if God is real, His purposes will often not be the same as ours. Hard thought it is to accept a complete absence of suffering may not be in the best interest of our spiritual growth.

And finally, have you simply not taken time to seriously consider the spiritual worldview? In our modern world, too many of us are rushing from experience to experience, trying deny our own mortality, and putting off any serious consideration of God until some future moment when we imagine the circumstance will be right.

Life is short. The death rate will be one per person for the foreseeable future. Opening one’s self to the spirit can be indescribably enriching. Don’t put off a consideration of these questions of eternal significance until some personal crisis or advancing age forces a recognition of spiritual impoverishment.

Source: The Language of God - a scientist presents evidence for belief, Francis Collins, pg 231-233