Demystifying Faith

The Oxford dictionary describes faith as "complete trust or confidence in someone or something; a strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion; or based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof."

In my last blog post I declared that hope comes before faith and no matter how I look at it, if you do not have hope you cannot have faith.

Why? Because faith is a conviction or complete trust or confidence in something. Hope is a feeling or a desire for a certain thing to happen.

Lost Faith

Let me explain. Some people profess that we've always had faith - that we've always had belief in something or someone, otherwise we couldn't function. And some may not even be able to get out of bed in the morning or step outside.

But that's the point. When individuals are suicidal or fear struck or have lost complete trust and faith in others including their spiritual conviction (due to a dysfunctional past, for example), they live in a state of survival with a sense of detachment to the world. They go along in life doing things, but separate from others.

The Disconnected Self

This could be difficult for some to understand, but if you've struggled with chronic child abuse and experienced complex post-traumatic stress disorder, then you probably know what I am speaking of. Your sense of self is not one of love and connection. Rather you have no sense of self; you are separated and disconnected from, not only yourself, but others. And, this is why faith doesn't exist, or you cannot access it, while in this state of detachment. 

This is also why people that struggle with separation or detachment have difficulties in relationships. They don't truly understand themselves; so they don't understand others. And if others are not accepting of their way of being, because there is a distinct character in the way these people act and feel, then they will continue to withdraw or go back into isolation.  

The Big Believers

When we were born, I believe we all, as little children, were big believers because we were all so innocent. We didn't have the experiences of the world (harsh or otherwise) weigh on us. We had a sense of connection to the greatness of the world. We had this sense of conviction in something (or someone) even though we may not have put our finger on it.

But as we grew up, and especially if it was in an abusive or dysfunctional environment, our conviction our belief or our faith in greatness dimmed, some more than others. 

Healing

With a continued sense of hope, though, faith can be received or unveiled with healing. Get around the right sort of people that will foster good mental and emotional health. Get around people that will support and encourage you to be who you are, who will listen to you, and who will empathize when you share your story.

I recall reading something a little while back, and it went something like this: When people do not accept you for who you are or when the group of people you are hanging around with do not allow you to share your story to heal or they condemn you every time you speak up, you are mingling with the wrong crowd; you simply haven't met the right kind of people that will listen to you and hear you.

When we are mingling or hanging out with that negative or wrong crowd, we sometimes begin to think that "everyone" is like that and we need to be like them; we need to hold back or we need to stifle our story. It's not true! You just haven't met the right kind of people that will support you.

Let's Connect!

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