What is faith? Is it really part of a modern life? As you ponder these questions, you’re not alone. There’s a good chance that many of your friends and coworkers have approached these same issues. Not surprisingly, there has also been research done on this very subject as modern-day social scientists take a look at why so many people have been motivated by religious and spiritual beliefs, so deeply and for so many years. What you may find surprising is that there are real benefits to living with faith.
What Is Faith?
To enjoy those benefits in your life, you must have a clear understanding of faith. It’s not just belief in a specific religion, for example. It isn’t a belief that you’ll always get what you want if you practice certain traditions. Instead, faith is hope in something better. It is complete trust in something, maybe a firm belief that your life will get better or a conviction in living a certain way. You might have faith in yourself that you’ll be able to overcome your current trials.
The Benefits of Faith
What are the benefits of living a faith-filled life? You may have already experienced some of these in your life. For example, if you have a commitment to living a minimalist lifestyle, you have opened yourself up to the freedom and peace of mind that comes with that choice. Faith in something greater than yourself gives you hope for better circumstances and the confidence to take risks. Embracing spirituality in your life opens you up to possibilities that you may not have thought possible before your chance in belief.
How to Develop Faith
If you haven’t experienced this type of faith in your life so far, there are some tactics you can use to develop faith.
- Listen to yourself with an open heart and mind. Do you want to have faith in God or the Universe? Find a quiet, private place where you can “listen” and accept what you learn.
- Put your newfound beliefs into action. As you use and develop what you learn, you’ll strengthen those practices and your faith.
- Develop a gratitude for the positive experiences in your life. Give thanks for your good health, for new experiences, for kind strangers, and for anything positive that comes your way.
- Find ways to worship. Whether you have joined a religion or simply want to worship the beauty of the world around you, worship is a great way to increase your love for those around you and strengthen your faith.
- Associate with others who have faith. Spending time with others who want to strengthen their faith gives you the benefits of a supportive community. You’ll find access to an online community with The Way International.
- Seek to live a peaceful life. Most religious and spiritual people will share with you the conviction that is impossible to live a faith-filled life without experiencing and sharing peace. If you’re angry or struggling to forgive, you’ll find that those emotions get in the way of your own development of faith.
- Act out of love. As you reach out to those around with a feeling of love and consideration, you’ll find that it is easier to have a faithful heart and enjoy the blessings that come with your renewed commitments.
Maintaining a Faith-filled Life
After you’ve taken the necessary steps to build your faith, it’s important to maintain it. One of the best ways you can do this is to take a walk. You don’t need to have a destination in mind. You don’t need to worry about how many steps you’re going to get. Instead, focus on the beauty of the world around you. Give some attention to your breathing and let your stress and the trials of your day go. Let your walk take you away from daily distractions and choose a path that gives you plenty of time to ponder.
Share Your Faith
One of the scariest things you can do these days is to open up to others about your closely-held beliefs. However, it is a great way to strengthen your own faith and is likely to help you develop more meaningful friendships. This doesn’t mean pushing your belief system on others. What it does mean is acting on your faith and making it evident in your behavior. People will recognize when you’re more patient for the elevator or if you’re willing to share a smile with a frustrating client. If asked, go ahead and share what inspired the changes.
Today, a growing number of people are finding that they’ve been missing something in their lives. For many, the answer to this dilemma is the search for and development of faith. If you have been looking for answers to your deepest questions or you’ve been hoping to find something better than your current circumstances, turning to faith may be the answer.
