What is faith?
I’ve been asking myself this question for quite a while. Most recently, faith has been finding me in the form of conversations, music, and honestly, signs from above. There comes a time when it is beyond evident that the only thing left to do is believe . . . again.
I’ve never been particularly religious. I was baptized Catholic and grew up in Central America surrounded by very devoted Catholics. I went to church when I absolutely had to and hid in the bathroom during my First Communion classes. Needless to say, I never had my First Communion.
Despite my lack of specifc knowledge of religion, I know I’ve always had faith of some kind. I believe in something bigger than myself, something I can’t really explain or define but know is there. Sometimes I use the word “God”, other times “Angels”, and others “Universe”. Although the name would change, my belief did not.
But sometimes I forget I have faith.
When things are good, I tend to forget about my faith. I chalk up the new job or sudden windfall to hard work or persistence, or maybe even luck, but faith doesn’t usually enter the equation. Now you know what’s coming next . . . when things are not so good (like when my dad was in a coma or my newborn son was in special care) my faith surfaced, and with a vengeance. Funny how that happens, right?
You may be wondering to yourself what relevance this many have to you, and more specifically, to your desire to make a career transition. Ahhh, we’ll here’s where the magic happens. Have faith, my dear.
Let’s define what faith is. Faith is:
1. complete trust or confidence in someone or something;
2. strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.
“Complete trust or confidence in someone or something . . . based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.” (I enjoy creating new definitions.) This is what faith means to me.
Complete trust without proof.
Now wait a minute. Complete . . . trust . . . without . . . proof? My logical, lawyer brain is going nuts right now. How is this possible? How can this be? The only answer I can come up with is: I don’t know.
But, somehow, I know.
I know that logic and faith do not mix. Logic, by definition, requires proof. Faith, as we’ve seen, does not. I also know that whenever I try to live my life based purely on logic, I always feel as though something is missing. I know that when I make decisions solely based on evidence or facts, my heart aches a little. I also know that without faith I may not have survived some trying times in my life. Finally, I know that when we don’t have or can’t have an explanation, meaning there simply is no evidence whatsoever, that’s when we lean on faith the most.
Lately, it seems as though every transition (career or otherwise) has required a whole lot of faith. It takes faith to decide to find a new job. It takes faith to send out your 99th resume. It takes faith to apply to a college or graduate school to get your next degree. It takes faith to accept a new job in a new town. It takes faith to believe that you are enough simply because you are. It takes faith.
I’d like to say I have a lesson for you. And, maybe I do. But for now, I’m making an effort to have faith all the time, not just when things are uncomfortable or hard.
I have this feeling that I will get there.
And, I know you will too. I can’t tell you when you’ll have that major breakthrough or shift in mindset. I don’t know when the job or career of your dreams will surface. And, I don’t know if all the things you yearn for will actually come to fruition.
But, what I do know is that if you keep putting one foot in front of the other and practice holding your faith and believe that you are loved, supported, and provided for, the journey will be a whole lot better. That much I know is true.
