Sophisticated Ignorance
Musings and thoughts on the world today...
On Faith…
Sometimes you just don’t have a logical explanation for things. A lot of people want to attribute some occurrences to to chance. However, if you examine some things, even down to the molecular level, you couldn’t find a “real” explanation for it.
Why is it so hard to believe that a higher power has some influence over our lives? In my mind, I ask how could you not believe? My purpose here is not preach or convert atheists into believers but to provide my thoughts on faith—a testimony, if you will.
Faith is sometimes not definitely knowing something will happen, but believing that it will. That may be hard for many people to do: giving up having complete control over a situation. But really, outside of your actions, what situation do you have complete control over? You can’t control circumstances. You can’t control people. [Which is why they say you shouldn’t put your faith into other people, as they’re sure to let you down, but I believe that you should believe in people until they give you reason not to. A person can do much better knowing that someone believes in them than not. Have faith in your kids. They will prosper in school. Have faith in your loved ones. That phone call will come.]
What you can control is your thinking. You might not know how you can make it to payday at the end of the week with an empty tank. All you can do is think positively and ask for help some how. There is as much a chance you will somehow receive a blessing and get a little closer to your goal as there is that you’ll run out of gas and be stuck. And even if that were to happen, there still may be something in the works so that you won’t miss work. That’s why there’s the saying that, He might not come when you want him to, but he’s always right on time.
A month after I graduated college, I was in a rough place. I had a degree; no job. When it came time for my rent to be paid, I had most of it due to my former boss doing me a favor [Something completely out of her character and an instance where I see that He worked through someone around me.]. I was exactly $100 short. I had already asked for an extension and the due date was coming up. Each day I woke up racking my brain as to how I was going to be able to stay in my apartment.
One day I was on my way downtown to hang out and something told me to check my mail. I was 23 and lived alone, nothing came in the mail except for bills and junk ads. For whatever reason I went to check the mail. In it was a card from the neighbors of my grandparents. When I went home, I waved and spoke, but we were never particularly close. The card by itself was an awesome gesture. The $100 bill that fell out of it as I opened it was a blessing.
I had never been a religious person coming up. I barely went to church. I felt like when I prayed for something and it didn’t happen, that was just cause not to do so anymore. As I got older, this behavior continued. Believing that I was in control of my life. I never took the time to think about all of the times I drove around the city in the pouring rain with no windshield wipers and actually made it home. I never took the time to think of the times that my friends and I were too drunk to be driving home from a party but made it. I lived in a rough neighborhood for a while and literally saw shootouts and people’s homes be broken into but was kept safe from that.
When you think of the world we’re living in today where people are so desperate for money or clout that they’ll rob, steal and kill without a second though, every day that you’re breathing is a gift. Anything could happen at any moment. Personally, I’d rather live as if there is a God than not and die and realize I was wrong.
The song below is indicative of how deep this thought resonates through not only me, but other people who might not be in the best of places in their life—yet. And it’s dope music. What else could you ask for?
