Faith, January 3, 2012 Daily Reflection

 

An image of my faith

Faith – A confident belief, trust, faith in God, a religion, loyalty; these words define faith.  Do you believe? That is a difficult question.

“Mommy, how do you know that you are doing what God wants you to do with your blog and retreats?” my littlest one, Jake has asked me before. “I have faith. I don’t know completely. I just rely on my faith.”

You can’t hear Him. It is likely you will never see Him in this lifetime. You rarely feel Him. It is doubtful you will touch Him.  So how do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt? How do you have loyalty and confidence in something your senses cannot and likely will not sense? Why do you believe?

Is it because you have been taught? You have been taught other things that you fall away from or doubt. Why do you continue to hold tight to this belief above all others?

Is it because everyone else believes? How full are the pews in our Churches? Not everyone believes.

Is it because it is the only way you can avoid the fiery inferno of hell, if there exists such a heinous place?

Why do you believe?

I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt because I was taught about God not like a math or English lesson by a teacher as a child. I was given the gift of knowing God from my parents, my teachers, my church, and my family. Then as I grew I looked for God, I felt His presence. I continued to seek His face. I faltered, failed and doubted as a teen and found my faith even stronger on the other side. I do not believe because others do, it wouldn’t work. I do not believe to avoid Hell. I do not believe because I was taught to believe. I believe because I was granted the gift of Faith from God. Over the years my family, my faith community and my loved ones have helped me to cultivate this gift into the deepest most meaningful relationship in my life. I have faith in God and Jesus Christ because I know He is with me always. My senses may never feel  Him, touch Him, see Him or hear Him but I know and I will stake my life on His existence and never ending love not just for me but for every creature He has ever created.

Faith – belief without facts, without the senses, without undoubting evidence. Faith I have it, I thank God for it, I nurture it and I share it with others.

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