What is faith?
Is it something to have to ensure that we get what we desire or want? Is it something that we hold over G-D’s head in order to extract things or actions from Him? Suppose our entire concept of faith is foreign to the scriptures. What if we have totally missed the mark when it comes to faith and its purpose?
What if you were told that faith is the recognition of our unity with the Source of all life — which results in our trusting the integrity of the Source of all life. Would it change the way you view and approach it? Looking at faith from this perspective helps us to see it is not measured by the manifestation of things, but rather by the awareness of who we really are. In order to have faith, we must first be keenly aware of the One who is the object of our faith.
When men attempt to express faith it is usually based upon selfish desire rather than spiritual reality. If you were to tell your friend to trust someone your she has never had any real contact with or has only known through you, then your friend would have some skepticism until the other person proved himself through history or relationship. If there is no history and no knowledge of the person’s track record gained, your friend will never really get beyond the stage of doubt.
We have been taught that if our faith in G-D is strong enough, then we will receive whatever we request. This could not be further from the truth or further from the concept of faith. Faith delivers what has been promised and not what has been requested. Faith is not something we get or have simply because we say we have it. Faith is not a concept that grants a reward. rather faith helps you to see that knowing who you are is the reward. Faith comes by hearing, but not by hearing yourself talk or beg.
Faith comes by hearing what the Creator is saying or has said. Faith is not something that comes when you join the church or when you are baptized, faith comes when you pay the price for it. The price of faith is your life as you know it, as you desire it and as you live it. The price of faith requires you to let go of everything that you thought the Creator to be in order for you to see who He really is. Abraham had faith but at what cost? Abraham was required to move away from everything he held dear. He was required to abandon his ideals, his aspirations, his desires, as well as, his beliefs about who the Creator is and his sense of righteousness.
Abraham’s walking away from everything was the price he had to pay to hear what the Creator was saying. He had to walk away because the religious voices were too loud and the things were too distracting. He needed to silence the noise so he could hear the silent voice of the Creator. All of what Abraham did are things we seek not to do, yet we are quick to proclaim a faith thats only realized when we get our desires met. Abraham trusted the integrity of the Creator because he heard what the Creator was saying.
We have the audacity to attempt to call things that are not as though they are, simply because we choose to or because someone has told us we could. The audacity of ignorance is not enough to move the heart of the Creator to supply our selfish desires and our lust for wealth. The church has convinced its adherents that because their name is on their roll, because they attend regularly, because they are faithful, that they have faith. To believe this is to be ignorant of the truth and devoid of an understanding of who you are and the purpose of your existence.
Our purpose for existing in the form that we are currently is to realize that we are one with the Source of all life. Everything that we think, everything that we speak, and everything that we do is to be carried out with the intent of becoming aware that we are the image and likeness of the Source of all life. Since it is the Source of all life who made us in His image and likeness, when we doubt this, we are questioning His integrity. If we question His integrity by not desiring to manifest who we were created to be, how can we truly have faith in the One who we say we have faith in? How can we speak of having faith and have not heard what He has said?
Faith must began with hearing Him say who we are and believing it as did Jesus. We were shown by Jesus that we do not have to die before we manifest the beings that we are. Jesus said if we believe as he believe, then we would not only do the things that he did but greater things were available for us to do. Jesus trusted the integrity of the Creator and we have the opportunity to do the same.
Again, faith is not determined by what we get, rather it is manifested by us realizing who we are by trusting that we and the Creator are one. Faith dispels the illusion that the one who created us is someplace separate from us. Faith hears the spiritual essence that flows through each of us and helps us to realize that having faith for something misses the mark, but having faith in the Creator renews our life. Faith helps us to see that it is not we who define the essence or the existence of faith, rather it is the voice that Abraham heard that makes the determination.
Faith does not give us a car or a house nor any other material thing. Rather faith makes us aware of the necessity of seeking the kingdom of G-D first and trusting that He will do the adding. Faith has confidence in the integrity of the Source of all life.
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