My Everyday Life of Faith
I promised you, my readers, my blog would not be just fashion but a medley of what makes me who I am.
This post is about how my faith affects or influences my day to day life. First of all let’s look at Faith. Faith is one of those words that is commonly used but not always understood. It is used in many different ways in everyday conversation. Looking at the dictionary, we see different uses and meanings of the word Faith therefore making for some confusion as to the real meaning of the word
“What is Faith?” you might ask.
One of the dictionary meanings has it as “A feeling, conviction, or belief that something is true or real, without evidence.” Faith requires trust in the unexplainable! But is this what the Bible means by Faith? The answer seems to be no! Hebrew 11:1 comes closest to what the Bible defines Faith to be. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. “ Again, in Luke 7:9 Jesus said to His disciples concerning the Centurion whose servant was ill and he had sent for Jesus to come and heal him, “ I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. “ So Jesus called this great faith and for me this could be the definition of Faith.
Here the object of faith is God and His promises to us His people. It is my belief that genuine biblical faith expresses itself in everyday life. As a Christians we try to apply the biblical teachings in our lives. The bible teaches things like honesty, integrity, treating others with love or at least the way we would wish to be treated, dignity and respect, generosity helping the poor or least among us, sharing our faith etc. All these affect the way we live our lives because we strive to be more Christ-like.
For some of us Faith is tied to religion, for me the Christian faith, while to others it is a philosophical concept. Even some who say they don’t believe in God or a divine being, at least believe in something bigger than themselves, a higher power or being, a spiritual force in the universe.
These are provoking thoughts especially at this moment of truth with the pandemic reminding us that we do not control our destiny, that obviously there is something bigger than us at work here. Regardless of which way you swing, faith I believe is a critical component in life. We all tend to follow a routine that works for us, we all are searching for our own truths, connection, redemption and meaning in life.
For me, being raised by a staunch Catholic my faith is not just a social identity; it defines my mystical identity too. It changes the essence of who I am. I feel blessed to be part of a church that has such a rich tradition, culture and history. Being Catholic has provided meaning and purpose to my life, it has taught me to be more tolerant of others, to be more forgiving and to show my love for God in loving others. All in all I try to be a good person and though I fall sometimes, I absolutely get back up again.
My Christian faith offers me a moral and ethical compass for living an agreeable and useful life in society with others and most importantly a rewarding relationship with God, this is my life!
As a child my parents especially my mum instilled in me that faith comes with unshakable trust in God as the one who is in total control of however things turn out for us, good or bad. Faith is what guides the decisions I make. When we believe that God loves us unconditionally, it opens a door to loving Him and others. Faith is that ability to tap into something missing in our lives – God’s love for us. John 3:16 brings this home to me: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Finding faith in difficult times could be tough but whatever the challenges are before me, I have that determination to see things through as I find my strength in God with passages like Romans 8:35, 37.
I have found comfort and encouragement in these words in times of adversity: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, Persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”
My faith affects everything in my day to day life; while I fall short at times, it is central to who I am, to what I do, my decisions, relationships and all. Of course during good times my walk with God is most faithful, most intimate and most life-giving. But as a Christian, even though humanly difficult, I know that when life is crushing me, I should depend on God completely. That would be the best time to spend more time with Him in prayer, calling out to Him for help; finding solace in His promises: “I will never leave nor forsake you “Hebrews 13:5; “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Being human, there have been times when I have felt afraid, anxious about life, frustrated, felt abandoned and my heart had ached in anguish over stuff I was going through to the point I was tempted to doubt God, like with the loss of my loved ones- my Dad, Mum and my big Sister. But my faith has pulled me from the dredges of depression and I have fallen back on His words, decided to praise Him instead of whining or losing faith. This Faith has helped steer the ship in difficult times.
For sure we will all be tested and we are bound to fall down but it’s left to us to get back up again.
Tragic things have happened in our lives and I believe that no matter how bad things may be, God will work them out together for our good. (Romans 8:28) The COVID- 19 Pandemic is a case in point for me. Don’t get me wrong here, I , like many other people,believe in science but I also believe that there are realities that fall outside of science. In this time of incomprehensible upheaval and uncertainty, people of faith have turned to their beliefs to help them process it all. Some have even struggled with hard questions: Where is my God amid this death and loss, why is this happening, is this punishment, why would God let this happen?
Undoubtedly for so many grappling with this unseen enemy for which many scientists have very few answers, religion or faith has been their first resort.
Even with the sacred rituals of many faiths disrupted, many are finding comfort in their faith that God has things under control no matter how bad. They have connected to a higher purpose through their prayers, online bible groups, praise and worship and meditation. In our collective grief as a result of this devastation, we have to accept that suffering is a part of life but God meets us in times of trouble, He grieves with us and turns our grief into compassion. We need to find strength amid a virus that has created so much isolation and loneliness. For me faith in God is that balm! There is no denying that some good is coming out of this devastation; as we hear stories of individuals and groups of people showing so much generosity and inspiration by helping others in need.
No matter what any of us believes in, we seem to have a shared humanity in times such as these!
Appreciate your checking in, see you next time!
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xoxo
Stylishly Muah
