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The great thing about faith is it is definitely not about perfection. We get a do-over every single day, every hour, every minute if we want or need one.
There is a reason why forgiveness is built into every single religion on the planet - there wouldn’t be very many buyers of that product if perfection was a requirement of purchase. As I have cultivated faith, I have failed so many times, oh, so many times, at actually having it. I have made mistakes. I have been confused. I have had regrets. The imperative, when it comes to faith, is just a commitment to keep trying, over and over again. The same is true for success, it seems. I can’t tell you the number of quotes from business leaders that have mistake, failure, or keep trying built into them.
Success is moving from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm - Winston Churchill
The secret of getting ahead is getting started - Mark Twain
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better - Samuel Beckett
You get the idea.
I am clearly not an expert in faith, nor do I claim to be, but I may have been an expert in fear, doubt, worry, and anxiety a few decades ago. My ability to question the BLEEP out of everything was masterful. It was also quite tiring.
Faith can be a bit of a struggle sometimes. We can try too hard. We can pray our little BLEEPS off and still get rejected. We can think we have it all figured out and get blindsided. Unfortunately, faith isn’t about protection from harm, mistakes, poor judgment, or criticism.
Why do it at all then? you might ask. That’s a very good question.
I guess I got tired of walking around assuming things would not work out. I got tired of being full of fear. I got tired of the burden of worry. It was a lot of work. It was also a big ole bummer to be around - for me and for others, too.
Faith is also a lot of work, no question, but it is also a lot more fun. I spend my time praying my little BLEEP off and focusing on whatever good I can find. I can make meaning out of almost anything, which is actually quite lovely. I allow myself to have goals, dreams, and ambition, which hasn’t always been true. I spend my energy fortifying myself and trying to fortify others, rather than ruminating on the past, present, or future.
Don’t get me wrong, I still get down or discouraged. I still have doubts. I still have pain, hardship, and heartbreak to navigate, but I have a better navigational system to get me through and I feel stronger in the process than I used to. These days, my life feels like a field of green flags waving in the sun, when I once walked in an ocean of red. I can see real problem red much better now, and maybe someday I will be able to avoid it all together.
So, if you’re searching for faith, first of all, welcome to the club. Second, you’ll be relieved to hear that perfection is not a requirement for membership. In fact, the opposite may be true. The only way to faith is to try, and fail, and try again, with a commitment to learning more about ourselves and how we define faith in Good (or God) as we go.