Faith is Contagious

Faith, it turns out, is contagious - for better and worse.

People seem to be able to tell when someone has faith, and they are either attracted to it like moths to a flame or repelled as if we have some sort of highly contagious infection.

It doesn’t happen overnight. It’s not as if our willingness to experiment with faith turns us into zombies and everyone around us starts running. It’s far more subtle than that, thank God (or Good).

It may have to do more with being comfortable in our own skin, being happy in our own lives, feeling loved or accepted inherently (i.e., from within). Some - and I might even argue many - people are attracted to faith, even if they can’t explain why.

I’ve always been somewhat annoyed by words like “confidence” or “self-esteem” and I had a hard time articulating why. It felt a bit unfair, like star-bellied sneetches on the beach. Some people just had those things and others did not. Meanwhile, I couldn’t even really tell you what those things are let alone where to get them or how to find them or how to force myself to feel them when I did not. 

I can’t speak for the mystical creatures out there who have confidence or self-esteem, know what it is, and that they have it, but I finally feel like I am standing on something solid with faith. I just know things are going to work out, even when I am in the midst of a hardship. I understand there are lessons to be learned in a downturn or disappointment. I am excited by chance, happenstance, or unpredictability and I look forward to seeing what might happen next, rather than worrying the ever-loving-BLEEP out of it. I love myself, I like my life, I look forward to the future. 

And some people are attracted to that. Some people seem to want a little bit of what I have, and are sniffing around and asking questions or asking for more of my time or seeking my insight and finding value in it. 

And others? Well.

I have to say I have lost a few friends in this turn toward faith. Some people find it really BLEEPING annoying. Some people don’t seem to like that I believe in myself or I have faith in the future or that I believe everything is going to work out.

There was probably a time in my life where I would’ve found me pretty BLEEPING annoying, too. But I also recently realized that those same people who have made themselves scarce are the very same people I used to get in touch with when I felt a little uncomfortable in my own skin or with being alone. 

Now that I like me and enjoy my life more, I am less inclined to reach out to others for attention or occupation. Meanwhile, the people who really like me still seek me out and make time for me. It’s like faith is also weeding out the riff-raff, the troublemakers, the negative Nancys, the decrepit situationships, and the otherwise questionable choices I was making without me even thinking very hard about it. 

Lawd, how much time and life I lost worrying about such people in the past. Oh, the pain. Oh, the agony. I’m being a bit sarcastic, but also it was actually quite miserable.

I’m almost annoyed with how easy life is now with faith. It’s like finally trying that thing that others have been recommending forever - whether it is a new restaurant or a different drive to work, a new workout routine or a better mattress - and then kicking myself for not trying it sooner. Experimenting with faith has had all kinds of positive repercussions and unanticipated, positive outcomes. 

As usual: five stars, highly recommend.