Throughout my youth, I proudly identified as an atheist. But then I spent a year in combat, going out on patrols, and I noticed something unexpected. In the back of my mind, I was quietly pleading, “Please, God, let us get back to the FOB safely.”

For most of the deployment, I didn’t even realize I was doing it. It wasn’t until I paused to reflect that it hit me: no matter how much I’d claimed I didn’t believe, in those intense moments, I instinctively turned to God for help.

Deep down, when fear and emotion take over and logic fades, I think we all believe in something greater. Many of us are just too stubborn to admit it.