What does faith mean to you?

We realize this is a special week for people of different religious faiths. This got us wondering about the question of what faith means to people. What does faith mean to you? We recognize that whatever you call your Higher Power, there are several benefits of having faith.

Many articles show that when people practice faith, they often gain advantages for their lives. Practicing faith encourages healthy behavior. People are less likely to drink too much or use substances that are not good for them. They also may eat in a more healthy way and practice other good health habits. These behaviors support the immune system so people get sick less often and they also recover more quickly.

Stress is also reduced through practicing faith. Prayer and worship activities can lower blood pressure and reduce stress by encouraging balance in life. We found that even the Mayo Clinic listed reduced stress as a benefit of having spirituality and practicing faith. Faith gives people a sense of purpose and meaning and that also lowers stress.

When people practice their faith in a community, they often experience increased mental health. Harold Koenig refers to a study in his book, Medicine, Religion and Health, that shows church membership predicted greater life satisfaction and happiness. People with faith often enjoy helping others and they also benefit from being part of a caring supportive community. They are generally more hopeful and optimistic and they have happier marriages and more meaningful relationships.

For us, God is our Higher Power and we feel we don’t ever have to face life alone. Also, when needed to meet challenges, we can gain strength that is beyond our own strength.

We went out to talk to people to find out what their faith means to them. We met Jodi Neal. She said, “My faith means everything to me. It gives me the assurance that even though things in my life don’t go as I planned or thought they should go, that there is a greater plan for me. I just have faith that God is walking along side me on this journey – and to just trust in the Lord, that things will be okay because of His plan.”

Then we were with Ken and Liz Anderson who shared their thoughts about faith. Ken said, “Faith is everything. It regulates my conduct, it regulates what I do. It regulates how I feel about other people, and how I feel about charities. My grandfather once said, ‘God put me on this earth to help others’. That’s one thing I always remember. I added one thing to that – help others as you are able. If I see somebody, like a neighbor, that needs a little help, then I’ll jump right in and help them. I also help in my community. I try to teach that to my grandchildren and my children. I think I’ve done a good job with that. Above all, do not be selfish. For me, religion is – you do something from the heart. The heart regulates everything – it even regulates the brain. Do things by what your heart says.”

Liz offered, “There is something about the natural world that gives me faith. We look out on this beautiful marsh and we observe the wildlife there – the birds, the squirrels licking the maple syrup as it runs down the tree. I’ve never seen that before. There’s something about the sun rising every day. We see that beautiful sunrise with our east exposure. There’s something about nature that gives me faith. It gives me faith in God and faith in my fellow man.” Liz showed us her amaryllis plant that was 2 inches high 5 days ago and now it has grown a foot. Liz shared that “God is working here. It’s a miracle.”

Ken chimed in, “The biggest miracle we experience is the birth of a child. That’s one of God’s biggest gifts and biggest miracles. Fortunately, we have two grandchildren and we’re very thankful to God. It’s a miracle, it really is!” We agree!

In talking with Jodi, Ken and Liz we learned how important their faith is to them. What about you? Would you like to explore or develop your connection with your Higher Power?

Here’s a challenge: Explore what areas of faith you want to develop. Read related books and talk with friends and people who have knowledge and experience in areas that appeal to you. Then you may decide to have faith as part of your life so you can reap the many benefits.

Chanhassen residents Doug and Lynn Nodland are Success Coaches and owners of The Balance Center. They can be contacted at WeCare@SharingLifesLessons.com

© Doug and Lynn Nodland 2018 Articles and videos may be shared in their entirety with attribution.