The anatomy of faith

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

—Hebrews 11:1

What does faith mean to you?

My dictionary says that faith is “confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof.”

Others have said that faith is an inner knowing that does not rely on the outer world to verify or validate that knowing. The real question is, in what or whom do we have faith and, perhaps the larger question, why?

The “why” is often indescribable because it’s unique to every human being. Because it’s an inner knowing and, to many, a feeling, we can’t really point at faith and say, “There it is.” However, we can point to the things that inspire our faith.

When we study the anatomy of faith from a spiritual perspective we discover that faith is the inner link to a universal presence that goes beyond all form.

Some might look to a particular spiritual or religious icon to deepen their sense of faith in what they can’t see with the human eye, while others may be inspired to a deeper faith simply by gazing into the mystery of life found in a newborn baby’s eyes or, for that matter, even a flower or sunset.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.”

No matter what may be the inspiration, faith is an inner knowing that we are connected to something omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent—something infinitely larger than ourselves that knows what it is doing. This depth of faith brings a sense of well-being, comfort and inner peace to us in a world filled with so much uncertainty.

For me, faith in the unseen presence of the Infinite One, (God, Source or whatever name you choose to call It), is not about having that presence magically fix the problems in my life so much as it is helping me to embrace what is, knowing I am not dealing with it alone.

For years I have had four small mindfulness stones sitting on my desk next to my computer keyboard. Each has inscribed on it one word—Faith, Trust, Surrender and Peace. I keep them in a sequential order with faith being the first stone because faith is the foundation for the other three.

When I enter each day with faith that I am connected to a life force that is larger than me it seems easier to trust life and surrender to the moment. That doesn’t mean I always like what that moment brings, but with faith I’m able to find peace regardless.

Recently I asked some of my Facebook friends what they thought the differences are between faith, hope and trust.

One friend replied, “Faith is the knowing without the shadow of a doubt. Hope is the feeling that we want something very much, but with the shadow of a doubt. Trust is abandon, the knowledge that you can let go of any doubt.” I really like her analogy.

Perhaps hope is doubt dressed up in its Sunday best. And perhaps trust, founded in our faith in our oneness with life, is the key to surrendering with abandon to what this moment and every moment brings, knowing “this too shall pass.”

This week I invite you to investigate the anatomy of your faith and see if it is serving you in living your life to the fullness in which it was meant to be lived.

As a mindfulness practice, place your hand over your heart and feel it beating. Note that you do not doubt that the next beat will come.

This is proof you already have faith in something larger than you that knows how to sustain you. Allow that faith to spill over each day into every area of your life, trusting and knowing you are not alone.

The One who brought you here knows how to sustain you—just listen, be still and you will know.

Dennis Merritt Jones is a local spiritual mentor, keynote speaker and author of the book “The Art of Being: 101 Ways to Practice Pur pose in Your Life.” Contact him at www.DennisMerrittJones.com.