Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Trust and Faith

Trust and faith...simple enough right?  What do they mean to you?  Could you list people you trust or people you place faith in?  Think about it and once you have those people think about some of their other qualities as well. 

Trust and faith are a unique gift that we can offer to others.  Trust and faith can be a process of conscious thought, a feeling we have towards others, or a belief that we have.  Sometimes the one you trust and have faith in the most is a higher power. To me that is our Lord.  To each of us it is this can be something different.  Where do you put your faith and trust?  When it is tested what do you do?

For a long time I thought that I had to force trust and faith.  That I had to spend time and effort making things happen my way.  This caused a great deal of stress and anxiety for me.  Things would not go how I wanted them to, they did not happen when I wanted them to, etc.  I would get so angry and frustrated and it became a vicious cycle.  One day I spoke to my Dad about it.  He being a very spiritual man told me to "relax.  You cannot force faith.  You must trust that the Lord has a plan for you and that he will show you when it is the right time."  This was hard for me to grasp.  I have spent many nights awake trying to figure out how to make things happen and again ending up frustrated.  Monday while driving with Kara home from Indiana I said to her "You know what?  I am just going to let things happen.  I will continue to work hard, be a good person, and place my trust and faith in our Lord.  He will show me the way and when the time is right he will show me the path". 

I believe our  Lord makes us face trials and tribulations.  I believe that without these tough times and moments of sacrifice the gifts that he affords us cannot truly be appreciated.  A real life example:  We have all know the rich kid whose parents give him/her everything they want or need.  They go through people, possessions, and money as if they are completely disposable.  They get a job that their Daddy set up for them and start making money they don't truly deserve because they have not worked an honest minute in their life.  They get their paycheck and don't think anything of it and live a life that lacks a sense of reality and are less for it.  They never faced trails or tribulations.  They never had to make the tough decision.  Do I buy food or pay my electric bill.  I know I have been there and to this day every cent that I earn and every minute I work I am thankful.  These sacrifices define my existence and was the method the Lord used to show me to be thankful and gracious. 

I have finally learned to place my trust and faith in the Lord.  I have surrendered my anxiety and forceful ways to patience, understanding, and acceptance.  I accept the trials and tribulations and know that the suffering will end, the hardships were well fought, and that our Lord and Saviour has shown me a path.  His love and benevolence are greater than the universe is wide.  Without faith and trust in the Lord we do not truly allow our soul to show it's true power and beauty.

"As your faith is strengthened you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit." 

-Emmanuel Teney

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