What is faith?

Faith is believing in something... anything... be it a person, a god, a better world, it is something that we must have to indure our days in this world. Without the hope for a better tomorrow there would be far more people jumping off of bridges.

Faith along with love are two of the treasures we should never lose.

Thanks for this well thought out article.

Interesting points, making a distinction between faith, optimism and probability.
The word "faith" carries a lot of religious connotation, while probability is more technical. I have a good friend who has faith that things will work out for the best. Whether we recognize it as "the best" is a function of our personality, I guess. For her, it keeps her from worrying about things unnecessarily. She's not especially religious, but this "faith" makes her a very calm, rational and easy-going person.

to me faith is believing in something you cant see but feel

From the infallable, inerrant Word of God we find...


Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

and


So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Romans 10:17

Seems like a perfectly good explanation to me. If you don't see that, may I suggest you take a look at these passages and those around them. I'd love to help you understand.

For me, faith can be tied to trust. I can have faith that a friend will not let me down. I have this faith because I've learned to trust the friendship.

On the other side of the pendulum, faith can be just a gut feeling that has nothing to do with logic or reasoning. I see a lot of people asking for money on the street. There are some that I know are scammers. There are some that I think will use the money for alcohol. But there are others that I have a gut feeling about. I have faith that they are really trying to pull themselves out of a bad situation and could use a boost.

Faith is believing without seeing. Faith is knowing without miracles. Faith is believing that in time everything will be okay.

faith is a belief in something, this belief is not necessarily coached in logic, nor experience, nor proof.

It is a feeling, a gut instinct, another way of looking at the world.

I may have faith that someone will succeed at something even when the odds are against him; (defying logic)

I have faith in the power of prayer (some proof is coming in now but not well accepted by the world at large)

I have faith that I will get up tomorrow to a brand new day, (even though I have no experience with tommorrow and what it will bring)

To have faith in tomorrow yes you can say as you did that some tomorrows will be good and some not so good,

but you are missing the point the point is general you are talking about all tomorrows, and you have three ways of looking at all tomorrow: they will be better, they will be the same or they will be shit.

Whatever you believe builds your belief system, and shapes your behaviour,

it becomes a self prophessing prophesy

I will be a success therefore it will happen

I will be a failure therefore it will happen.

Faith is what you have when nothing else makes sense. It is the stability that you lean on when nothing else makes sense. It is what you have when you have nothing. When you start to have faith and beleive, things happen. When you have faith you have no proof, but you know it is true.

Gee, I like the other comments so much that I'm not going to disgrace myself by commenting. I'm just too mentally tired at the moment.

Magi

To me, faith is believing entirely in The Almighty, more than your own self.
I know its difficult but impossible itself says i m possible. watsay?

God bless.

To me,it all starts from yourself,then sent out,in whatever you manifest,to learn and grow in love,no matter the beleif system.I am not a religious person,and follow on my own spiritual path, that feels positive to me.It can expand,Shelly

For me, the word faith immediately brings Jehovah God of the Christian faith to mind. Take the phrase 'Christian faith' for example. Another way to put that would be Christian beliefs. For me faith and God are intrinsically connected.

For me, faith in God means believing in Him without doubt. It means believing that the Holy Bible is true, and is from God for us. It means believing that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, that He was born of a virgin, that He lived and walked on this earth for a while, that He died on the cross for my sins, that He lay in the tomb for 3 days then He rose from the dead and walked out of the tomb, that He spent a short period of time after this on earth with His disciples, then He ascended to Heaven to His Father, and that He waits there with He awaiting His Father's command to go and bring home those who are His.

Trust is the antithesis of faith. If your faith is worth trust, have it dear.

This subject has been debated since the dawn of Reason.

Because religious faith is transpersonal rather than interpersonal in regard to a relationship – with God or a higher power, the object of faith can be a person (or even a state of affairs or an inanimate object).

A very simple point of faith is the monetary system that the World revolves upon. In the USA there is no gold standard and ONLY FAITH in the system keeps it afloat.

Faith means different things to different people - as evidenced by the comments on this thread.

Great article. Certainly makes you think.

For me I have a difficult time having "faith" in anything that I haven't seen some kind of evidence of. I also have a hard time with miracles because quite frankly, miracles are often things that have an explanation but we just don't understand yet. I'm sure primitive cultures would find modern things like television, computers and other items to be "miraculous." Modern medicine being able to restart someone's heart would seem "miraculous."

Maybe I do have faith. I have faith that eventually - most definitely not in my lifetime - we might just have the answers to many questions we have today.

I learned something from the Bahai faith that I think rings true for me. "God only reveals to man what he is capable of understanding at the time." I guess that's having faith.

I agree with Cheryl H.
From the infallible, inerrant Word of God, Hebrews 11:1 explains faith. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." For those who are walking under the auspices of the Holy Spirit, this is the definition of "faith". God's Word cannot be disputed. The "Life Application Bible" explains it this way: 'Faith is conviction based on past experience that God's new and fresh surprises will surely be yours.' One must be born again to understand "faith" revealed to you by the Holy Spirit, Who will guide you into all truth.

I have to agree with Shari- faith involves a lot of trust.

Also, for me, faith speaks to me of great inner strength. To believe and to trust takes strength, and when I am weak, I have lost sight of hope, or should I say- losing sight of faith drains me of my strength.

Excellent article, really made me think.

Lots of great responses. I hold to Hebrews 11:1

1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Faith is believing that there is order in the universe. Things happed for a reason, even if that reason is not evident at the time. Events are not random, but part of a greater plan.

The most important thing for me to have is faith in myself. I know that tomorrow will be as good as today or even better as long as I continue to do what I need to do for myself and others, and as long as I take responsibility for my own actions and not blame others. I know that I have the power within me to create my life. And I have faith that the Law of the Universe is there with me all the way. I wouldn't be here otherwise.

True faith is believing that if every thing you do would please or glorify GOD you will be blessed. Faith is believing that JESUS died on the cross for our (yours and mine) sins. That if you pass the trials and tribulations you will one day dwell in the house of our HEAVENLY FATHER. Basically you can say I agree with Cheryl H.,and Mary W., and Pam F. There is a whole lot more. Like people with real faith know MOHAMMAD WAS A FALSE PROPHIT!!!!! That JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD. That the wicked will be punished. Even if you don't get personal redemption ( during this lifetime) In the end everyone will get what they deserve be it good or bad all to be decided by GOD ALMIGHTY!!! If you repent of your transgressions and give your heart and sole to JESUS . Your name will be written in the book of life and on judgment day you will be called up to live with our HEAVENLY FATHER to live in ecstasy for all eternity. Just read the HOW TO BOOK OF LIFE better known as THE BIBLE its all in there really it is!!!! It's even translated into English among other languages.

Faith is believing in the unknown that contains a good ending no matter what the script

I think that faith (in any context, not only religious but that in particular) is objectively bad. I don't think people should let themselves believe something because it is pleasant. Reason and evidence are always better.