What is faith? I was raised to belief that Faith is an action word. We often define it as "belief in something for which we have no proof," but even the early French etymology explains faith as the "duty of fulfilling one's trust." That duty sounds pretty action oriented to me!
People are sometimes afraid to believe in God. They feel pressured by religion to place faith in something for which they have no empirical evidence. They don't want to place faith and then be sorely disappointed at some critical moment. But what if Faith is an action we take day in and out?
What if, from today forward, you look at faith as something you do in order to fulfill that trust, and you begin with having faith in yourself?
It is often easier to have faith in the abilities of others. We may choose to believe or disbelieve in our government leaders, our parents, our bosses, and lovers, but when faced with ourselves, if we have not developed a solid core of faith in our own ability to live, love, and prosper, we suffer. Sometimes, because we have trouble believing in ourselves and carrying our that duty to fulfill that sacred trust with our own hearts, we look outside of ourselves for something to have faith in. We look to God, or to Angels, or to Mother Earth. But in fact the deepest lessons of most religious faiths is that God, Angels, Gaia, they are all found within us. Until we learn to see the reflection of the divine within ourselves, we can not heal that inner sense of lack. You must trust that you are worth having Faith in!
"Faith is the function of human life that dispels the dark clouds of doubt, anxiety and regret, opens one’s heart and orients it toward good," says Daisaku Ikeda. When you take up Faith as an action verb, seeking to understand how and why something is worthy of your love and energy--and how best that should be physically expressed--you unlock the gateway to a profound glimpse at real truth-- that all things are worthy of Faith and Love, for all things created are beautifully, blissfully, divine. Once you realize this, you don't have to worry about losing Faith, or Hope, or falling into pits of despair, for that faith once found can not be lost. Even the guru who disappoints through scandal, must be recognized as part of a great teaching and learning wheel. As your faith increases, your brilliant mind can honor the needs and duties of that faith, taking actions which support overall well being and increasing overall faith--not in any guru or physical earthly thing, but in the cosmic nature of life, and in the blossoming flower your own soul.