Faith

Dear Fellow Struggler in Faith,

I pray you accept this advice with my invitation
You see, important matters have been brought to my attention
That some thoughts on faith are subject to indoctrination
Please find my thoughts enclosed for your consideration

First then, when you think of faith, what is your definition?
Personally I think first we need to define it by omission
Those things which do not affect your faith if they happen to waver
I wonder if these definitions will find your favour...

Let's us start with topics on which it is easy to agree
Your faith is not your profession, your status, or your degree
Nor by any other method by which you pay your debts
Your faith is far more than these earthly effects

Your faith is also more than your mortal coil
That body of yours which weakens with age and toil
It could be injured and broken and bruised and blue
These thing may hurt, but your faith will remain just as true

Dear reader, even if times are hard your faith is not your depression
Mental health struggles do not mean you are punished, or your faith has lessened
It's true that God may be harder to see in these days
But though He's hard to see He has not gone away

Your faith is not attending church seven times a week
Your faith is not how loudly you pray for the weak
It's not how many verses you've got at beck and call
Your faith is not defined by how many times you fall

Your faith is not the anger that a doorbell wont ring
Nor is it your sadness at global suffering
Your faith is not defined by trauma or defined by feinds
Maybe it's time to corner what faith actually means

For me, faith is trust, a relationship you treasure
And like any relationship, there's challenges to weather
Faith is not certainty, faith can have doubts
But then faith can act as though there's nothing to worry about

Faith is difficult, but worth it I swear
Dear reader of mine, if you are still there
These are my thoughts, which I believe to be true
But you must make sure the person that defines your faith, is you

Good Luck,
Signed, a fellow struggler