Faith

 “Faith is allowing oneself to be seized by what we do not see.”- Martin Luther

  What is faith? Is it religion? No, for I know many who have faith but no religion, Bono of U2 fame, for one. Is it spirituality? Mmm, no I don’t think so either, for I know those terms are not synonymous, because spirit is merely consciousness. 

  Faith, is putting trust in the unknown. Faith is believing in a moral path. Faith allows us to yield control to that unknown. Religion, as we know it, is about control. Religion is judgemental, predatory and fear filled. Religion came to rise when power sought control. It took away one’s ability to dig deep within oneself to find where that faith lies. For there is no need to search for something when it’s spoonfed to you. So what, it’s not exactly what you might find when you dig, but it’s close enough, right? And when one is thirsting for direction, one will follow anyone who promises the right way. 

  Faith is personal. Faith is unique to each individual. It is neither right nor wrong, it is what YOU believe. YOUR relationship with YOUR CREATOR is something only YOU can choose. And THAT is the true nature of Faith. It is not brow beating, fear mongering or deceit. It is remembering a simple Hebrew phrase-

בּשׁבילי נברא העולם ואנכי עפר ואפר

  For my sake, the world was created and I am dust and ash. The first part speaks to one’s potential, the second to what one has actualized. It’s a way of looking at the dichotomy of our self-worth. And that keeps us humbled in faith. 

  For when we can stay humbled in our own deeds, our Faith grows. It is not enough to just believe in a higher power, you must see the Grace in everything you do to truly hold Faith. And when that Grace reveals itself to you, it can be in the smallest of ways. Or it can be larger than life itself. Either way, it lets you know you are supported in your deeds. You are connected to YOUR CREATOR.