Reclaiming Words - "Faith"

Faith

1   a : allegiance to duty or a person : loyalty

     b (1) : fidelity to one's promises (2) : sincerity of intentions

2   a (1) : belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2) : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion

     b (1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2): complete trust

3   something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially : a system of religious beliefs

Faith is often challenged. 

Faith is often decried as unnecessary and a hold-over from a bygone era in our post-modern world. 

Those of us who say we are people of faith are often put down, ridiculed, and mocked.

Let's do some unpacking of what faith is not. Maybe the we can begin to reclaim what faith is.

Faith is not blind allegiance.

Faith is not intellectual suicide.

Faith is not a crutch for the weak.

Faith is not a one time thing.

Faith is not an opiate for the masses.

Faith is not the absence of doubt.

Faith is not certainty.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the fact is we all have faith. Every single one of us. And that faith is exercised often throughout the day.

Faith is our first act in the morning as we swing our legs over the side of the bed and stand to greet the day even though we have no idea what the day may hold.

Faith is that which compels us to move forward in the face of the mounting evidence that should lead us to just stop.

Faith is the marriage of belief and trust.

Faith is living life like you mean it.

Faith is often difficult.

Faith is a gift.

Of course, the objects of our faith may be different from one another. But the truth still remains that faith is something that is possessed by all.

Of faith...

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."

Philip Yancey wrote, "I have learned that faith means trusting in advance what will only make sense in reverse."

C.S. Lewis penned, "Faith is the art of holding on to things in spite of your changing moods and circumstances."

The author of the letter we call Hebrews composed, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1 NRSV)

Faith is beautiful. 

What is faith to you?