We are taught to believe faith is that secret thought we have deep inside us. Faith is not that thing we profess out loud, that picture we present to the world, but the real truth of what we feel deep down in our being.

I’ve come to understand Faith much differently. Faith is simply how we choose to see and understand the world. It is not subject to feelings or moods or changing circumstances. It is the result of careful thought, soul-searching and personal experience.

The fact is I cannot alter the truth of what is unseeable and unknowable. For instance, I can only make an informed guess as to what life after death actually might look like. Ultimately, our belief is a choice. I choose to be connected with the living God, and a universe of hope and infinite love. Why? Because that makes sense to me. It creates meaning and brings me joy.

Sometimes when I’m sad and feeling helpless or afraid, the thought of nothingness makes sense. And suddenly I fear death. But that is not me questioning my faith. That is just me feeling a momentary lack of connection to my experience of the truth. But that is not how I’ve chosen to live my life. It’s just a valid but unreliable feeling.

They say “live your life like it’s your last day on earth.“ I prefer to live my present as if it is simply one moment of an eternal journey, filled with ups and downs, ultimately blissful, a gift from a loving, living God. This is how I manifest my faith. It is something I live out every day. It is a way of being that informs everything I say and do.