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You Say You Have Faith. But Do You Really?
If following your faith brought you nothing but hardship, would you still follow it? If your prayers went unanswered and your suffering continued, would your faith remain the same?
People often turn to their faith when life becomes difficult. They pray for help when they are suffering, seek protection when they are afraid, and hope that God or Heaven will guide them toward a better life.
But imagine spending years believing in something, only to face one hardship after another.
You have tried to do what is right, yet people continue to mistreat you. Your circumstances grow worse, and the help you have been praying for never seems to arrive.
At what point would you begin to question your faith?
It is easy to say we believe when we have hope that things will improve. What concerns me is how well people understand the faith they have chosen, especially when life asks more of
them than they expected.
Human Faith Is Not Spiritual Faith
There are two types of faith I want to explain: one between human beings and one involving
God, Heaven, or the spiritual world.
When we place our faith in someone we love or care about, we do what we can to make that person happy. We offer our time and effort according to our abilities and circumstances.
Some people can give more, while others have very little to offer. As long as both people are honest and maintain mutual trust, their relationship can continue.
To me, this is not difficult to understand. We recognize that human beings have limitations, and we often accept those limitations in the people we care about.
But spiritual faith is not based on the same understanding.
When someone wishes to follow God or Heaven, they are asking to be accepted into a spiritual path with responsibilities that go far beyond what they may be accustomed to in human relationships. Their sincerity must be demonstrated through the way they live and their willingness to follow the guidance they have accepted.
What Are You Willing to Sacrifice?
When you sincerely choose to follow God, Heaven, or a spiritual path, that decision is meant to remain with you for the rest of your life.
There will be difficulties you never expected. People may treat you unfairly, test your patience, or cause you suffering despite your best efforts to do what is right. Even when life seems to offer no reward for your devotion, the guidance you have accepted remains your responsibility.
But sacrifice is not limited to the hardship that life brings upon you. It also includes what you willingly give up because of your faith.
There may be times when dishonesty would make a problem disappear or bring you an advantage. Perhaps doing what you know is wrong would allow you to obtain something you desperately want. Following the guidance of your faith may mean giving up that opportunity, even when no one else would know what you had done.
This is where the decision becomes personal.
You know what your faith teaches. You understand the difference between right and wrong.
Yet when doing the right thing costs you something, will you still choose it?
It is easy to ask God to fulfill your wishes. But how willing are you to follow God's guidance when it goes against your own?
To me, this is part of what genuine spiritual sacrifice means. It is not only about enduring suffering, but also about having the discipline to give up what conflicts with the path you have chosen.
That commitment should remain firm throughout your life, even when the sacrifices become great. In my spiritual understanding, a person should remain faithful to their principles even when facing death.
Faith, Benefits, and the Expectation of Forgiveness
There is nothing wrong with hoping to receive protection or blessings from the God you believe in. Why else do so many people seek spiritual help? They want their lives to improve, and they hope for a better outcome beyond this world.
But there is something I want you to consider.
A person knowingly commits a wrongful act and afterward asks God for forgiveness.
Perhaps they even believed, before doing it, that God would show them mercy.
They wanted the benefit of doing what they pleased, followed by the benefit of being forgiven.
In my understanding of spiritual law, deliberately doing wrong carries consequences that cannot simply be erased by asking for mercy. The spiritual world is not obligated to excuse our actions because we regret them afterward. This is why I say spiritual faith is not a game.
Consider the relationship between a spiritual master and a disciple.
One person approaches a master thinking about the protection or blessings they may receive. They might speak confidently about how much they believe, but their attention is already on the benefits.
Another approaches with a sincere heart. Rather than announcing their belief or asking what they will gain, they simply accept the master's guidance and say, "Yes, I will follow."
Their words are simple, but the intention behind them is different.
To me, that distinction matters far more than how strongly someone claims to believe.
Consider What Your Faith Means Beyond This Life
There are many religions in this world, with different teachings and spiritual understandings.
Many people believe there is only one God, and I share that belief, regardless of how people understand or worship God. I recognize that not everyone will agree with this view.
I have no right to tell you which religion to follow or which spiritual path to choose, and that is not my intention either. My goal is to share the knowledge I have gained through extensive spiritual training so that you may better understand your own faith and consider the decisions you make throughout your life.
Whatever faith you choose, understanding right from wrong is essential. So is recognizing that the decisions you make throughout your life carry consequences beyond what you may experience in the present.
Our human lives will eventually end. If we hope for a good outcome beyond this life, then we should think carefully about how we are preparing for it now.
The question is not whether you have ever asked God for blessings or protection. The question is whether you are prepared to follow the guidance of your faith for the rest of your life, even when doing so means giving up something you want.
You have asked what your faith can give you. Have you given the same consideration to what your faith requires of you?
Thank you for taking the time to read my teaching.
If you have any questions about this article or suggestions for other topics you'd like me to discuss about life and spirituality, please leave a comment below. You are also welcome to contact me by email.
I always welcome your sincere questions and thoughts.
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