Word-Of-the-Week #814: Faith
March 12, 2020 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #814: Faith
Faith – strong or unshakeable belief in something, esp without proof or evidence.
Have you ever had a feeling that you knew something but didn’t know how or why? Do you ever have strong gut feelings? Do you follow your instincts?
My sweet sister Lurene came up with this week’s WOW after we had a conversation about knowing things that we don’t know how we know. And she said, “That is having faith.” One thing I do know is that many times when things have happened, I trusted that everything would work out to my best interest. My mom used to say, “Everything happens for a reason.”
Peter Thompson from the Guardian writes, “Faith is not the same as religion. I would say any movement that seeks social change and improvement is a faith-based one. It has to be, otherwise there would be no reason to hope for something better.”
And Lauren Ebersole from the Humanist writes, “Faith is a concept that connotes religiosity and a term that is monopolized by the religious. If someone says “my faith,” then the god part is implied. It doesn’t require a qualifier. There seems to be an idea that faith in a god somehow makes one stronger or better than those who don’t share that faith. That faith in something you can’t see or can’t know for sure exists takes greater courage. The primary definition of faith, however, is “strong belief or trust in someone or something” and only secondarily does it denote “strong religious feelings or beliefs.” 
I have faith—I just choose to put my faith in people. I have faith that when I’m sad I’ll find comfort in the arms of my mother. I have faith that when I’m confused my father will provide guidance. I have faith that my siblings will always have my back. I have faith in the restorative power of laughter with friends. I have faith in me, that more often than not I’ll make the right decision.
It takes courage to put your faith in people. You can’t always know a person’s motivations, their decision-making processes, or their rationale for their behavior. People are unpredictable, and sometimes faith in them is misplaced. That’s why it’s called faith. And for me, in my life, faith in people beats faith in a god every time.”
My intention is not to discount religion. I do believe there is some higher power that guides me. I call her Xena. Could she be from a past life? I have no idea, but I don’t believe or disbelieve 100% of anything I hear or read. If something “speaks to me” then I take note of that. That is what I mean about knowing things I don’t know. I completely trust my feelings and instincts!
This week’s focus is about having faith. Do you have the courage to believe in something you can’t see or can’t know for sure exists? Do you have faith in yourself to make the right decisions? Do you have family and friends who always have your back?
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WOW Word-Of-the-Week #276: Faith
November 7, 2009 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on WOW Word-Of-the-Week #276: Faith
Faith – strong or unshakeable belief in something.
Do you have a strong or unshakeable belief in something? Can you keep going even in the face of defeat? Are you finding in these trying times that you need to reinvent yourself?
Ready, Set, GO!
This week Meb Keflezighi won the New York Marathon and was the first American to do so in twenty-seven years. What makes the story remarkable was “a lot people were writing him off, saying he was too old,” said Ryan Hall, the second-fastest marathoner ever and, at 27, considered the country’s future. “This is a cutthroat business. You’re only as good as your last race.”
Meb, at 34, was recovering from a hip injury and had never won a marathon. He had won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics but then failed miserably to qualify for the Beijing Olympics. At one point he considered quitting. He said, “I knew I had this God-given talent that hadn’t been tapped into yet.”
Meb’s 2009 season has been incredible. He set a personal record in January in the half marathon and then broke it in September. He won three national championships. “I just had this feeling it’d be a great year,” he said. I’d say that he had faith! It took five tries before he won. They say that what he did at his age, with his hip injuries is amazing.
The sportscaster Toni Reavis said, “It’s not just a running lesson. It’s a lesson in life he gave all of us. It’s possible when you’re at the lowest depths that you can still resurrect yourself. He did it. He made it home.”
This week focus on faith. Do you have a God-given talent that hasn’t been tapped into yet? Do you have a strong or unshakeable belief in yourself? Can you stay focused and keep going even if someone says you can’t?
Reader Responses
“Faith is something that we can’t see with our eyes but we can feel it in our hearts. There are many people who claim that faith is a crutch. But it is more than that. It is a belief not only in oneself but a higher power that good will come out of any circumstance, if we just open our hearts and minds to the possibilities of our lives. We have all heard about people who have taken leaps of faith and been rewarded. When we take that leap, we don’t know what will happen but we believe that it is a chance we must take. After all, so much in life is a chance. But that chance at something reaffirming in our lives is one worth taking. My own faith was inculcated in my religious upbringing at a young age, but it was complemented by a positive mental attitude. I was taught at a young age to expect the best. Once we expect the best, we can’t be disappointed. Carole King had a hit record in the mid-70s entited, “I Wanna Believe (in Humanity),” which talked about having faith in our fellow man. We need to keep that faith every day. The best is indeed yet to come. Great word, Susan. Take care.” – “Warrior” Joe Moran.