My wife is going through a hard time because she feels that "Christianity" is just becoming unreal to her. She says it feels like she is pretending and that nothing is real. David

Hello David, :)

Bro, maybe in coming to the conclusion that "Christianity" is becoming unreal is the best thing for her to go through. Sound ridiculous? When the formulation we have come to accept in the place of Christ seems fake I'd say that's a good thing. I'm not saying she doesn't have Jesus, oh no, only that in having him maybe she is growing tired of that which has been replacing him in so many ways through the learned methods known as Christianity.

O.k. so here is the dilemma I have. How does my wife or even me know that our faith is real? When nothing seems really changed in our life, how do we know? When we just seem to sin how can we say we are truly free? When we don't see love, and joy and peace in our lives all the time then how can we say the Spirit is in us. In other words, how do we know our "believing" is not the thing changing us and not Christ? I hope that makes sense to you. If i claim I believe in Jesus how does a person know for sure that I am in Jesus? David

Makes a lot of sense to me. :) Those who merely claim "faith" would not be considering what you and your wife are considering right now. Those who fake what is called life in Christ can not tolerate having their cover exposed. They instead will make great stands in order to preserve the illusion, for they cannot allow the emptiness to be exposed.

What I have often recognized is that those who lose the sense of their confidence are the ones who have a true confidence in Christ. For what they are actually sensing as being lost is the empty confidence they learned to have in the flesh. That's a good thing ... even though it doesn't feel very good. :)

Love, Jim