Contributed by Gabriela von Euw, CARP Bay Area
Faith.
In the Webster dictionary faith is defined as a ‘strong belief or trust in someone or something; belief in the existence of God; strong religious feelings or beliefs’.
Among my peers, 50% of young millennials believe in God. The other 50% is either uncertain, don’t know, or don’t believe in God. At first it was shocking, but upon reflection, I realized that many times it’s hard to be upfront and confident about sharing my faith.
It’s interesting how this is but in truth, sharing one’s faith and opinions when asked can be hard. It can be a vulnerable question and even a question one is trying to figure out themselves. There can be a fear to share one’s deepest heart and beliefs to others, fear of sharing one’s opinion, and fear of how others will respond. Whether one chooses to believe in God or not, both choices take faith and effort. Even for myself it has been challenging at times, although I know I believe in God and faith is of utmost value to me.
As a Unificationist, I believe deep down everyone is searching for happiness, purpose and meaning in life. To me, faith, God, and religion guides me and gives me more purpose and meaning in my own life.
Thinking about all this makes me reflect on my own spiritual and faith journey and why faith is important and valuable to me. I was out on a hiking trip with my family and had time to reflect yet again in my life on how I would answer the question of ‘why faith?’. I reflected upon my own journey and how I have come to own my faith. I know my faith is of deepest value to me but I wanted to dig deeper into that question of what faith means to me, how can I express what's on my heart. While hiking surrounded by the tranquility of nature, I was reminded of how life and faith are a lot like hiking a mountain.
In 2017, my brother, my dad, and I climbed up Mt. Shasta which is the 5th highest peak in California, 14,180ft. Leading up to the hike I was very excited and exuberated. This was a trip we planned for a while and prepared a lot to make it happen and finally it did. This was a reflection I wrote after the trip, in June of 2017:
“It was the hardest climb I’ve done but very rewarding. Going up was a battle physically and mentally. There are very many obstacles in the way; getting altitude sickness, aches and pains, slope getting steeper, afraid of heights! We had to use mountain gear in order to go up. But along the way there was a lot of encouragement from other climbers and from looking at the beautiful scenery along the way and the changes of color in the sky which gave me energy to keep going. We couldn't always see the peak and it seemed like the hike would go on forever but with the goal in mind and never giving up we persevered and made it! In life there can be many mountains like Mt Shasta, but with the right mindset and determination one can accomplish and overcome them! An unforgettable experience!”
Majority of the hike going up was in the dark. It was an overnight hike so we had to have flashlights to light the way and be careful with each step in the snow especially when it got to a very steep incline. In my life, God is the light in the darkness. In the challenging moments is one place where I can feel God. We keep going forward knowing we will reach the top and that there will be an amazing view and it will be all worth it and victorious. This is faith, that through the challenges, twists and turns that life throws at us we keep moving forward with God having the end goal in mind. Faith illuminates the pathway during difficult times.
Faith to me means having a relationship with God.
We can’t control everything, but we can control our step in moving forward having trust, belief, love, and hope. Faith gives me the strength to be grounded centering on God no matter what storm of circumstances may be hurled at me. Faith gives me the strength to love. It’s like learning to dance in the rain and the storm with a strong inner determination.
Right now there are a lot of things happening in the world and in many ways the world seems chaotic and turned upside down. Faith gives me the strength I need to overcome the challenges I encounter in my life, to strive to be a better person. My faith and religion gives me hope that peace IS possible and this vision of a world of peace our CARP Founders have dedicated their lives for IS possible. The CARP founders have been an example of living exemplary lives I can learn from, inherit, and practice in my own life. Their words have been a guiding point in my life reminding me of this greater vision of peace. And in many ways I am here because
Faith gives me determination to contribute.
Faith is trust, belief, love and hope. It gives purpose, meaning, and direction to life. It’s not just thoughts but an action. Faith has to be put into action. It gives us a sense of peace and calmness in the storm. For me, It is showing through action the love and care for others. It is sharing that hope, giving hope to others, encouraging others, serving others.
Faith is many things, more than I can put on paper, but it is something I had to own; something I had to come to my own realization that I value. I had to discover what it means to me and what I really believe in. In the beginning of college I asked myself such questions as: what do I believe in, I say believe in God but do I really believe in God and trust God?, there are so many great people who aren’t religious so why is religion and faith and a belief in God so important to me? I wanted to come to a place where I can own my faith and who I am. I was reminded during this time of a quote my pastor shared at a sermon, ‘Believe your beliefs and doubt your doubts’. I recognized how important and of value this quote is. I need to believe in my beliefs and don’t doubt them. And as I did that it became more clear why faith, and the meaning and value it gives to my life. And I still feel I keep learning and growing in how valuable my faith is to me in my life. There is much more to grow and learn and practice.
Even now, It is a constant journey of discovery, digging deeper, and strengthening my faith and who I am.
What is faith to you? What's your journey?
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