As a pastor, I avoid using phrases like “I’m losing my faith,” “keep the faith,” or “have faith.” After being ordained for a while, those terms have become platitudes to me. In fact, religious clichés are so ubiquitous that Amazon could ship me a sign today that says “Faith Over Fear,” “Faith Makes All Things Possible,” or “Walk With Faith.” By 8 pm tonight, the saying could be hanging up in my kitchen. Regardless of whether I owned said plaque or wall decal, I would still struggle to define the word faith.
Exploring faith is an incredibly personal process.
Given my vocation, I should know the definitions of words like prayer, grace, or faith, shouldn’t I? Simply opening up the Oxford Dictionary and finding narrow definitions isn’t the most life-giving activity for a clergy person. Instead, I’ve always benefited from my life experience when it comes to describing my interactions with the divine. As a recovering addict living well with bipolar disorder, my most sacred knowledge comes from my moments with God. Through encountering God in both good and bad times, I feel as if I can best describe a spiritual concept like faith.
You likely have experienced faith today!
So what is faith? Your answer may be different from mine. In fact, I would encourage you to allow yourself to find a unique understanding of faith. My definition today might change next year, next month, or tomorrow. My spiritual growth and engagement have always flourished when I have allowed myself to wrestle with foundational concepts of my identity as a Christian.
Lately, I've been pondering an analogy to define faith.
Here is a way I can describe faith: If two tuning forks are set at the same frequency, they will resonate. This means that if I tap one tuning fork with a mallet and touch both to a wooden table, they will begin to emit identical tones. Recently in my life, I have found that my faith has been a journey to resonate with God’s frequency in the same manner. The tuning fork analogy works for me because I appreciate the concept of God as sound wavelengths—invisible and all-encompassing. I am continually surrounded by God’s presence. My practice of faith is simply the process of tuning in to God’s eternal and familiar presence. There is nothing wrong with not picking up on the frequency every single day of my life. Everyone tunes out from time to time. A lessened awareness of God doesn’t mean you’ve lost anything. God is still there. Faith is understanding that our God consciousness will be in a perpetual cycle of waxing and waning.
There is nothing wrong with not picking up on the frequency every single day of my life. Everyone tunes out from time to time. A lessened awareness of God doesn’t mean you’ve lost anything. God is still there. Faith is understanding that our God consciousness will be in a perpetual cycle of waxing and waning.
I have simply given one perspective on faith. You certainly will have your own perspective. Today, take the leap and define faith for yourself. In the comments, write your own personal definition of what faith means to you.
8 Responses
I define it as blind acceptance. I don’t see it in real time but I believe and accept.
Thanks for sharing!
For me, faith means to believe without knowing.
And that has not been easy for me, because I was born asking questions. I question and analyze everything. I am also a devotee of the scientific method: observe, postulate, then test to prove or disprove your theory. We sometimes say our faith has been tested, but there is no scientific way to test faith. Faith requires suspension of disbelief… to accept “not knowing” …for now, at least.
At some point in young adulthood, I found my faith defined in this verse. “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” I Corinthians 13:12 (New King James Version)
In researching the verse online, I found more than 50 versions. Perhaps the simplest one was the New Living Bible translation: “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”
And so I have faith, that someday I will know what is not yet knowable. I am also confident that from the moment humans first walked on earth, they have experienced the resonance that Pastor Seth describes.
We can’t prove the existence of God, or test “faith,” but we can experience its power and resonance in our lives when we stay still and listen.
First of all let me say wow! I appreciate you taking the time to respond!
I like that you said:
“Faith requires suspension of disbelief… to accept “not knowing” …for now, at least.” I live my life ‘not knowing’ many things. Faith helps me step into my future.
Also thank you for this:
“We can’t prove the existence of God, or test “faith,” but we can experience its power and resonance in our lives when we stay still and listen.”
With the quote above you have characterized “Faith” as an experience. Well done! Great comment!
Thank you for these devotions, Pastor Seth. Each of your devotions addresses difficult topics, that theologians have pondered over for millennia, with a fresh outlook. This is evident from the type of responses you have been receiving, such as the one from Leilani!
Don. I appreciate your support. It keeps me motivated to continue my work.
To me, God is the sounds of the frogs outside at night, the patter of rain on a gloomy night, the loud and rambunctious atmosphere of an arcade bar, a restaurant filled with people eating and conversing. God is everywhere protecting you, guiding you, challenging you, and it is faith that gives us the bridge to identify what has been given to us our whole lives, our lucky moments, our lessons learned, our failed attempts at success. Fostering faith means believing in something better and bigger than us, guiding us through a turbulent life that nourishes and grows our human experience as people. It will always be different, it will always be challenging, it will always be difficult.
Thank you Yasmina. Such thoughtful words. I have to say I agree with your creative description of God and faith. Excellent contribution to the discussion here.