FAITH
A few months back, while in a Fempreneur coaching group with the brilliant and lovely Cassandra Rae, I completed an exercise in regards to business development. It asked the following questions:
- I believe in myself because…
- I believe in my services because…
- I believe in my business because…
- I believe in my clients because…
- I believe in my inevitable success because…
As I worked through each of these questions I was amazed by the ease with which the answers came and the conviction I held for each one.
Easy answers. Conviction. Lots of belief.
But not “belief” as it’s frequently understood or assumed.
If someone asks, “In what/whom do you believe, Ronna?” my instinctual or immediate response would not be the answers like those I naturally, easily gave above. Rather, I would move into esoteric, metaphysical, lofty categories; beliefs in something bigger, larger, outside myself.
Why?
Why, indeed?
And what if I changed the language from belief to faith? “In what/whom do you have faith, Ronna?”
- I have faith in myself because…
- I have faith in my services because…
- I have faith in my business because…
- I have faith in my clients because…
- I have faith in my inevitable success because…
Is it possible that our learned emphasis on belief (and faith) as something intangible and above/beyond ourselves has limited our ability to have belief (and faith) in ourselves?
This feels problematic to me.
The answers I brainstormed that day filled me with inspiration, courage, and heart. They reminded me of a deep-in-my bones identity; a connection to what I’m passionate about, who I love to be in relationship with, why my success is sure. The answers filled me with faith. In me.
I feel stronger. More encouraged. Inspired. Isn’t that what faith should be about? Isn’t that would faith should bring about? Isn’t that would faith should inculcate and invite?
Maybe another conversation remains about whether or not faith in self and faith in something outside of self need be mutually exclusive. Not maybe. Probably.
But for today, at least, I want to sit in this space:
Faith as inspired, intentional, and unwavering belief in self.
I’m 100% certain that any God, Deity, or manifestation of the Divine is fine with this. I should be too.
Man cannot live without an enduring faith in something indestructible within him.
(Franz Kafka)
And isn’t this painting fabulous? It’s called Goddess of Self-Belief. Appropriate, yes?
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
What if having faith in self and faith in something outside ourselves is not only NOT mutually exclusive but somehow essentially the same? If we internalize the divine, “fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you…” — II Tim 1:6 lest anyone need a biblical reference, then isn’t the internalized faith both faith in self AND faith in the divine? Somehow, for me – if I can repair the split between an internal self and an external deity, then the gremlins that say it isn’t okay to WANT have to quiet down. I honor God by having faith in myself (and in others because they too manifest the divine) – and vice versa.
.-= Renae C´s last blog ..Enough =-.
Good stuff, Renae. Those gremlins have GOT to go. And yes, faith in self is the way to scatter them! Love having you here. Thank you.
Love this, Renae. Let’s send the gremlins running, definitely! And if, in the process, we strengthen our faith in both self and the Divine? All good! SO grateful you’re here. And your post?!? FABULOUS!!!
Quite a timely and necessary post for me, considering mine today was on fealing fear and doubt. Thank you.
I am thinking about these things: Made in the image of God, Spirit In-Dwelling, My Body is a Temple, etc. I am God (Goddess), I am Spirit, I am a temple. I am worthy of having faith in myself.
The question is, can I be comfortable–can I relax into–saying and believing (having faith in) these things?
Sometimes the lack of comfort is exactly what tells us (kindly and graciously) that we’re in the right space, Angie. It’s the dis-ease that points me to where the healing is needed…for myself and with others. You are definitely worthy!
And once I pass through the dis-ease, and acknowledge myself and my truth, then I feel this contentedness. I feel connected to everything. I’m connected to the dis-ease and the healing and the movement along my path. Further movement brings more dis-ease (learning) and then more healing and more movement. It’s a circle. Faith in self = faith in others = faith in the whole = faith in self.
Absolutely. A cycle. SO helps when we can see and name it, doesn’t it? Allow for so much more movement, breathing, and rest. Thanks Jesse.
It never ceases to amaze me that your posts are always, always so timely to where I am at in my life!
We escaped this weekend on a spontaneous family trip. I had been filled with so much doubt and lack of faith in myself & my abilities and we had become disconnected as a family and especially as husband and wife. We needed time to unplug and reconnect to each other. No computers, no cellphones, no iPods. Just us and our adventure. It was just what we needed.
And here I am back online today after digging deeper into my faith in ME this weekend; after finishing The Secret Life of Bees this morning and now reading your post!
Reaffirming my need to have faith in ME, nailing it down even further with this: “Faith as inspired, intentional, and unwavering belief in self.”
…and from the The Secret Life of Bees that I just had to mark this morning: “Our Lady is not some magical being out there somewhere, like a fairy godmother. She’s not the statue in the parlor. She’s something inside of you. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”…”You have to find a mother inside yourself. We all do. Even if we already have a mother, we still have to find this part of ourselves inside.”
Faith in myself. I am stronger, I am encouraged, and as you remind me often: I am enough.
.-= Shawna Cevraini´s last blog ..Lewis and Clark Adventure =-.
I’m grateful, Shawna. And yes, you are enough.
And thanks for the “Bees” quote. LOVE that one!!!