What Does Having Faith Mean to You? How Does Prayer Work?
Does Prayer Change Things?
First spirituality and religion are two entirely different things. Religion is the practice of ritual. You may be Catholic, Hindu, Moslem, or any other religion and you practice different rituals. Baptism, communion, and other such rituals constitute religion.
Spirituality on the other hand is the connection with spirit. The connection with God is a feeling. Praying and meditation brings you closer. I also believe that there is a spiritual connection with the spirits of others. Love is one of those connections. When I am with my husband, children, grandchildren, and friends I feel that spirit. I feel the closeness and connection with that goodness and love with them. When I am helping someone or they are helping me I have that feeling.
It is not always a good feeling. When I am grieving or helping someone else with his or her loss or grief, I feel it. I feel a closeness and connectedness with them and their spirit. I also feel it when I am practicing the ritual of communion or other Christian rituals during our church services. I feel it when I am listening to the sermon. Sometimes when I am singing or listening to music, not just Christian music, but many times then, I feel it. I feel the most connected to God when I am singing the old and new Christian hymns too. I am moved the most through music and art.
What I am interested in is what does faith mean to you? I pray. I believe in God and I believe that He can work all things together to make good. He can bring good out of evil tragedy, and pain. I wish that I had more faith. I wish that I didn't get angry when bad things happen to good people. I wish that I had more faith that I can handle anything with God's help. I wish I were more mature. That I wouldn't get ticked off when things don't work out the way I think they should.
I get upset and angry that He isn't taking care of my children and grandchildren the way I think He should. I understand that people make poor choices. I intellectually know that he gives people free will but I don't like it. So when people tell me to have faith and pray that God will take care of things I still question why? Why children are killed, murdered, sick, and tortured. Why do good people die and the evil live to go on to hurt others? I know that this is an imperfect world. I know these things intellectually. I am just curious about how others feel about faith and what it means to you.
Published by Shana Dines
Shana is an award winning artist. Her specialty is pastel portraits and watercolors. She has illustrated a children's book and has written and illustrated one now in publishing. She is a Christian but believ... View profile
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18 Comments
Post a CommentSure there is no "proof" but what is proof? If you would give faith a chance, you could see what He has in store for you.
There is no real proof that God even existed so why should we believe in something that we are not even sure of. What if your waste your whole life believing and it turns out....your god isnt the true God. There might not even be a God out there.
I really have a hard time to believe in god. There is no real proof that this god is the REAL God. When you have proof and not words, then you can have faith. I think that people are just using this "God" as an excuse that there is still hope after you die.
I have faith in many thing, though I am not a religious man. Good distinction.
Enough faith in anything creates the aura of belief around you or the object. Is this religeous? I believe that God gave us that ability.
Love your articles. You are so honest & open! Faith to me, is believing all is, as it should be, even if I don't understand it!
Thanks for your comment on my article and I enjoyed reading yours about "faith." Sometime over the weekend, I will write a piece that explains what I have learned about faith and its practical application after a 46-year relationship with God.
See you then
That should have said... I don't think God IS the fire and brimstone punisher.... sorry for the typo!
I don't think that getting a fatal disease is necessarily God's will, and I don't think God isn't the fire and brimstone punisher many have been led to believe. I think God can intervene, but unfortunately suffering is a part of life on Earth. Some bad things that happen to people are a result of sin, while other things are a result of simply being human and living in an imperfect world filled with pollution and other problems caused by man - not by God. Bad things happen to good people, and the ultimate result is everlasting life in heaven. Those who are left behind are the ones who are suffering - not the departed. As far as priests and other members of the clergy being child molesters - anyone who is sick in this way can turn out to be a child molester. Although the clergy should be setting an example for others, and although they definitely know this type of behavior is wrong, they are first and foremost human and no one is above sin.
Prayer changes everything. No matter the root of your belief prayer brings you closer to the center of faith and faith is our inner utopia.