My Faith Is So Much More

A few weeks ago when I was talking with a friend about all manner of subjects, we briefly touched on the subject of religion while talking about current news events.

She made the comment while discussing different religious beliefs, that ‘whatever makes someone happy and helps them get through the day’ didn’t bother her. The conversation moved on as we continued our walk to breakfast, but later on that day I started pondering over her comment.

After thinking it over for awhile I realized why it stood out to me so much; my faith is so much more than something that just gets me through the day. My faith is the thing that forms the basis of my life and guides me every step of the way through my journey. It is what I look to when I’m struggling and the thing I try to honor and celebrate every day of my life. Is it hard to live out your faith in today’s society? Definitely! Is it worth it? Always! Has believing in God ever been easy? No Way!

“Faith is taking the first step even when you can’t see the whole staircase.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

When I wake up each morning I think about how my actions that day will glorify God, and at the end of the day I reflect about how I lived out my faith that day. When I make decisions I look towards God to guide me, I don’t always get it right, but my faith supports me to continue in the right direction. It’s the key component to my life, and so many other’s lives across the globe. Everyday my brothers and sisters in Christ strive to live out their faith in their communities, and support others in finding God for themselves.

“Faith isn’t a feeling. It’s a choice to trust God even when the road ahead seemed uncertain.” — Dave Willis

I remember my frustration in the past when I struggled to express my faith based decisions to others. I’d make excuses or blame others when asked why I wasn’t drinking, dating, or participating in certain conversations. I always felt like I was hiding a part of my identity, and not truly living out my faith. Slowly I have become better at expressing my beliefs and sharing the word of God with others, but it is definitely something that I’m praying to God about for his strength in my journey.

When discussing religion with some of my peers, they seem to think faith is about having things taken away from you. All they see is rules and restrictions, and if no one has shown them otherwise that might be all they think Christianity is about. For me my faith isn’t about losing things, it’s about living life to honor God, and that’s really the ultimate gift.

The bible verse below really illustrates how integral our Christian faith is in our lives, and how powerfully it can transform us. God makes the impossible possible, if we let him into our lives.

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” — Matthew 17:20 (NIV)

Now if only I could go back and pour my heart out to her, so that she might understand that my religion is so much more than something that just gets me through the day. I pray that the next time someone talks about religion and faith, I have the words to do more than just nod and keep walking. But we live and learn through faith, and as we grow, so does our ability to share our beliefs.

“Faith does not make things easy, it makes them possible.” — Luke 1:37

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