Having Faith

What does having faith mean to you? To me, having faith means focusing on the why of my desire instead of the how.

Did you ever have a desire that seemed too big to achieve? I sure have and many times I found myself stuck in the details of how I was going to get it or how it would happen. Ever been there? So wrapped up in how it couldn’t happen that you forgot about why you wanted it? Focusing on the ‘how’ leads to doubt and fear.

I remember years ago I was taking a drive with a friend to see a house that was for sale. I wanted a bigger house with more land. We drove by the house and I knew it wasn’t the one. We drove a little further down the road and pulled into the next drive to turn around. It was a beautiful cedar-sided house with a wrap-around porch surrounded by trees. The yard was big and there was a small lake. It was perfect! I loved it! “This is my house,” I declared to my friend. Months went by of me dreaming about my kids playing in the yard and hosting family gatherings. I knew what flowers I would plant and how the front porch would have chairs with bright pillows and a wreath on the door to welcome family and friends. Then one day my friend called and said ‘your house is for sale’! I couldn’t believe it! In a few months we were moving.

As I look back on that time I realize that I wasn’t thinking about the ‘how’ – all the details of getting the house. I was only thinking of the ‘why’. I wanted to share this great place with family and friends. I pictured my kids growing up there, running around the yard and fishing in the lake. We are taught to think about ‘how’. We are taught that things will only happen if we have action plans, strategies, and skills.

There have been so many things in my life that have worked out better than I could have imagined. I have learned that having faith and focusing on my why brings solutions and answers that I didn’t have the skill or resources to figure out. I will add that some things ended up very different than I thought they would and that has been a blessing.

When we change the world changes.

When we change the world changes.

When we change the world changes.