The Nature of Faith

Just some thoughts and encouragement

“When the storms of life are raging,

Stand by me.”

“Stand By Me” Written by Charles A. Tindley

This song is not just a cry for help, but a declaration. The way it is worded, instead of asking, “Will you stand by me?” declares, “Stand by me.” Those are words spoken in hope and in faith. Faith is the belief or trust in things unseen, without physical proof. According to Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” When living by faith, you live in the belief and in the hope that everything will be okay, that it is not over yet, that your trials and tribulations are just stepping stones, not permanent fixtures in your life. This is not to say that on the days you cry, or the nights you want to scream, or the times that you just give up means you are less faithful or that God has forsaken you or that you are worthless. (Truly, those reading this, each and every one of you are priceless and irreplaceable. If there is any lie from the bowels of hell, it is the lie that a person is worthless and undeserving.) It just means that your spirit is weary, you are weary, and you are hurting.

The nature of faith is a nature of trust and belief. It is the nature of holding on tightly to your prayers or your good vibes, whatever you wish to call it, and knowing that it will be all right. Even on the days that seem the darkest and when the nights seem longest, you still have some faith. Faith is not of man but of God. Often, religion is confused with faith, but the two are completely different. There are far too many people who insist that your lack of religiosity is what gets you into scrapes, or that you do not have the proper religious training, or that you aren’t religious enough; but, instead of “religious” and “religion”, they use “faith” and “faithful”. They instead say that if you were more faithful, you would not have your troubles or you would be blessed or this or that. And it’s wrong.

Faith recognizes how frail we are as humans and that is not a bad thing. While we have the higher reasoning abilities within the animal kingdom, we are also the ones that make ourselves the most vulnerable to others- even those that come to us in a sheep’s clothing when they are wolves. We seek that emotional and spiritual attachment and faith is a way for you to hang on to hope and trust; trusting that you will be safe, and hope that it will work out. You have complete trust when you have faith. And, like with anything, trust can be broken. But that does not make you lesser! It makes you more human, it means you feel, you seek and you are trying to understand. And there is nothing wrong with that!

In closing, hold on to your faith, hold on to your hope. Things will get brighter in time, things will get better. It WILL be okay. And it is not because you lack faith, it is just part of life that there are trials and sorrows. You can get through it and the sun will come out again soon. Just try to breathe and try to hold on tightly.

“I’m living by faith and feel no alarm.”

“Living by Faith”

Written By James Wells