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What I Think Faith Is
When I started working at a Christian school, I experienced imposter syndrome during my first year. I didn’t think I was a perfect Christian because I didn’t have many scriptures memorized, and I didn’t attend church every Sunday. During my first year, I was so afraid of saying the wrong thing or not being enough spiritually for my students. When it was time to sign contracts, I met with the headmaster and told him he might not want me as a teacher because I didn’t have the Bible memorized. I will always remember him saying that he didn’t want a teacher who could only quote scripture. He needed teachers who put that scripture into practice by teaching students to live a Christ-centered life.
During the next 13 years at the school, I developed my understanding of what faith looks like, and what it does not. I also saw how a definition of a Christian can harm or help a young person. The following is my view of what faith is and what it is not.
Having great faith is living a life where you do your best to live a life full of love and kindness. It doesn’t matter how many Bible verses you can quote if you don’t live out those teachings.
We should allow others to worship instead of keeping rules about the absolutes of worship. Our pastor used to say that Faith was more caught than taught. Forcing the teachings on someone doesn’t work as well as allowing individuals to discover faith and see the joy that can set them free instead of feeling restricted. Each person can worship where and when they want. God can be found everywhere, not only in church.
Faith should not exclude anyone. If our God is a God of love and forgiveness, then that love and forgiveness is unconditional. Imagine thinking you are unworthy of God’s love or feeling guilty because circumstances keep you away from church.
No one has the right to judge someone else. None of us are perfect. We all struggle and stumble, and the time will come when we need to ask for grace, so why not give it freely to others?
I hope you find a faith that makes you feel wrapped up in God’s love, and it is O.K. if you find it in your own time.
