What does it mean to have faith

I am not talking about whether you believe in god or not. I meant faith here as in, do you believe that things will be alright ?

When your manager forces you to do something you don’t want but he thinks it’s good for your career. That trust that you have in her (albeit forced) is faith that she has your best interest at heart. That the thing she is forcing you to do is truly for your own good and now just because she needs to meet a KPI for her team.

Faith and trust are closely related but there is a difference. Faith is believing that you are headed in the right direction no matter the challenge or setbacks. It’s your north star. Trust, is in people or organizations that they will not betray you. That may mean they go against you because they want to see succeed where you are self-sabotaging. Trust is being vulnerable to them in hopes that they will take you to the enlightened world.

But let’s talk about faith. I think in an increasingly godless world, having faith in things has gotten harder and rarer. When a person tells you that they will read the article you wrote, the one where you poured your blood, sweat and tears into. You shrug. You no longer believe that people are capable of keeping their word. The faith that people are generous and selfless is lost.

But I try to keep that faith. To be generous where I can. To be kind and helpful but every so one, the world shoves a blade in that. It backfires and my faith is shaken. I get defensive, everyone is out to get me. Everyone is selfish. If being selfish is the game, why don’t I play that too ? Well, because it sucks and it’s no fun. How do we play with each other when we are always afraid? How do we trust and be open if we think everyone will use that against us?

So how do you keep the faith ? How do you renew what was once lost ? The ability to trust that people have the best for you ? I have no answers because it feels like the world is getting increasing self centered. That people only care about themselves. I am not so ignorant to say that I am the most selfless one here. i am selfish. But I am also trying to be better. Trying to think of others more than myself.

So far, I think I am failing. But I feel better. And maybe that is what it means to have faith. To believe that things will be okay no matter the direction. To believe that no matter the problem or obstacle, the path I am on is the right one, and it’s the only one I can be on. Even if it feels hard, even if it feels impossible, maybe that’s the test. If we can pass it, we reach the promised land with another test again.

So keep faith. Something that I am reminding myself time and time again. When things get hard, I try to hold on to it, not too tightly for fear that I extinguish it. But it’s the belief that things will be okay, that I am on the right path.

So if you feel stuck right now, as I do, maybe these words will bring some faith back.

It certainly has for me.