I’m going to ask you a question, and when I do, I want you to think about the way that you feel.
What do you believe?
Maybe you have an answer ready for that question. Maybe you don’t. Maybe your face is lighting up, or maybe you’re squirming in your seat.
Let’s be clear: I’m not asking about your political or economic views, though they may well play a role here. I’m asking specifically about your spiritual and religious beliefs.
Do you have an answer? Do you even know? Does it matter? Yes, it does.
You may identify with one particular religion. You may consider yourself spiritual, but not religious. You may not have any faith background at all. Or maybe you have no idea what you believe, because no one’s never asked you before so you’ve never really thought about it.
Why are things suddenly so uncomfortable?
We often see religion as something to shy away from, or something to keep hidden. We think we should practice in secret, if we practice at all. We don’t want to offend anyone, so we just keep our ideas to ourselves. Unless, of course, we’re on the internet, where we see a free-for-all battlefield to condemn others for practicing their faith or just being open about what they believe.
I used to be afraid to talk to people about religion. Not just afraid, but terrified. Not because I didn’t stand firm on my own beliefs, but that I would somehow mess up the conversation. Either I didn’t feel ready to tell someone else what I believed, or things would just get incredibly awkward once we realized we didn’t believe the same things.
Now, though, I’m not so afraid anymore. I don’t mind asking people about what they believe. In fact, I enjoy it. I want to know what they think about the world. And I’m not going to criticize or put down anyone that believes something different from me.
Now, don’t hear what I’m not saying. I’m not putting all religious faiths on the same level ground. I’m not condoning or supporting thoughts and actions that are outright harmful to others.
Everyone believes in something, even if that is to actively believe in nothing. And everyone is affected by religion, whether they realize it or not.
Faith is, to an extent, something people fall back on in times of hardship. It brings them comfort and stability. It gives them purpose. Faith helps answer questions like: what do you worship? What is your purpose? What will happen when you die?
And no matter what you believe, these questions still apply to you. We all worship something. That may be a god or higher being, or that may be something else. It could be another person. Our partner. Our career. We are all going to die, and something is going to happen after that.
If you don’t know where you stand, I ask that you give yourself the freedom to think about it. And to talk to people. Ask questions. It’s okay to not know. If you decide that you don’t align with any religious beliefs, that is okay too.
If you do know what you believe, don’t be afraid to talk about it. You don’t have to go shouting from the rooftops (and you certainly don’t have to go spewing hate speech), but please be comfortable with that part of you. If you’re not, maybe you should think about why that is.
I know what I believe. I believe I’m a sinner in need of a savior. I believe there is a loving God that wants to know me and wants to be known. I have surrendered to this loving God, and my life is so much better for it. Not easier, but better. I have no truer calling than to know and love him, except to show others the love that God has for them, too.
I want to tell others about the God I know, but to do that, I have to understand what I believe.
And to really show others his love, then I have to meet people where they are, no matter if their faith aligns with mine.