Faith

Faith is having trust; it is a belief in doctrines or teachings, believing in anything that is not evident or visible. Faith is developed through experiences and the reflection of other people’s examples when they go through something difficult, but do not lose hope. The beliefs of doctrines or teachings, demonstrates that if one continues to press forward, the storm will eventually settle. Regardless of the hurdles, a person must jump over them in order to appreciate the experience of seeing the dust settle. A sense of hope is not lost when a person continues nourishing their faith and completely relies on what cannot physically be seen. An individual’s standards can also define having faith. Faith is relying completely on something that is not visible, trusting in an infinite higher power, intelligence and gaining comfort from our beliefs.

Exercising faith can assure our existence has a purpose, an idea of our character, and knowledge that we strive to live according to our standards or beliefs. Desire is the foundation of faith, which helps it to evolve. It may either be augmented or quenched by circumstances. The riches of the world, the honor of men, popularity, peer pressure, or keeping up with the Jones’s diminishes the desire for faith, whereas pain, suffering loneliness, or loss of loved ones often creates deep emotions and a yearning for hope and faith. Our awareness allows us to nurse faith, to preserve our values. The world we live in has so much to offer; however, without faith, it can be challenging to overcome trials, continue pressing forward, and facing hardship with courage, especially when the future seems uncertain. Having faith can give us strength and peace, not to give up. A young mother watched her fourteen-month old toddler in the intensive care unit (ICU) profusely bleeding after being struck and run over by a truck. As the woman sat quietly and calmly, it was evident, her profound faith assured her that her child would be well. This was her reply, “I trust and know that my child will live, I do not know how, but my maternal instinct tells me, that all will be well.” The child is now an adult with a small scar, a miracle baby. Faith is expressed and exhibited when individuals continuously nurture their beliefs by their actions, and can attest that the unknown exists. Without faith, we have no hope, compassion, or desire to continue learning or believing in what we, at times, will not always be able to have an answer for, or the understanding of unexpected circumstances. When we have no doubt or fear, we have faith.

Having faith motivates us to follow our principles and gain knowledge from unforeseen experiences or other people’s examples. It can guide us to do good deeds, understand the importance of obedience and learn repentance. Furthermore, faith can help us to overcome temptations. When exerting faith, we can withstand the desires that appear attractive to us, but recognize the difference between bad and good when making decisions. Faith is an assurance of hope that helps to overcome trials. Seeing nature, knowing the sun will rise, and that there is light each new day, this is faith. It is like a little seed, if planted, it will gradually grow. However, it must be nourished for it to develop and flourish. If ignored, faith will dry, diminish and perish.

When faith is dormant and not active, it stops the discovering process, and one deviates from the truth towards pretense in forming bad faith or dreadful beliefs. People without faith embrace false teachings, and perceive that disbelief, deceitfulness, being unmerciful and doubtful are good traits. A person, who does not recognize that challenges and difficulties are not weakness, lacks faith because weakness forms into strength; therefore, a person loses desire or hope not to understand, assessing or viewing what righteousness is. Doubtfulness stops anyone from