When Faith Is Shaken
Posted by Mitch Mitchell on Nov 28, 2011
Everyone has a period in their lives when things aren't going quite right. I had that period from May through early September when I had three major things going on in my life, two of them financial, one of them personal.
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I'm not a religious person, so I don't have religion to fall back on. I do have certain faiths in my life, though, based on a few things. One, I have my normal mantra which says that every day is another opportunity to start anew. Two, I have my belief in the laws of attraction, to the point where one says that what you manifest is the type of thing you bring into your life.
That second one is tough to deal with sometimes. For instance, I could pretty much agree that the two financial issues I did manifest in some fashion because I trusted people that I thought would treat me differently than it panned out. Not that one of them didn't treat me fairly but I had beliefs that didn't come to fruition and thus had some financial difficulties for a longer period of time than I had expected. Luckily I have more ways than one to make money but I shouldn't have had to go that route.
But did I manifest my grandmother first injuring herself, then going into a nursing home and eventually passing away this summer? That's a tough one to swallow, and I'm of the opinion that one can't really manifest when bad things happen to someone else, no matter how connected they are.
And yet, it does seem that when it rains it pours, and the timing certainly made it seem like things were falling apart. There was a period where work was sporadic, as I had constant trips out of town, meeting with doctors, hospital personnel, nursing home personnel and of course taking care of my mother, who felt guilty for some of what was happening to my grandmother, which had nothing to do with her but it was an emotion I understood because I think I felt some kind of guilt when my dad passed away even though I had nothing to do with that.
How does one get out from other so many bad things when their general faith is shaken? Although it's not easy, one does it by finding the good things that are happening and by remembering good things that have passed. Last week on a different blog I reviewed whether there was anything to be thankful for at Thanksgiving. I began the post by highlighting some of the bad things that have happened in the last year, then found a lot of good things that happened in the year, way more than the bad. Nothing tops my grandmother passing away, but things were fine with her the first half of the year, and other good things happened as well.
That's the thing about faith in general. Sometimes it doesn't make sense to others, but if you can push forward through the bad times, you'll find a lot of good things are happening as well. When you can capture those good things, they help to offset most bad things. Positive motivation is always a strong thing when you can find those things in your life that have worked out for you.
How do you handle things when your faith is shaken, no matter what it is?
Sorry to hear about Grandma, Mitch. And I’ve been exactly where you were in terms of wondering if I was once the cause of something similar.
Until I was in my 40’s, I was lucky enough to sail through life. Everything I wanted came my way, everything I dreamed of became reality. And then all the bad stuff (no doubt saved up over the years!) hit me at once. I’m through it all now, but I’m a massively better person because of it. And it taught me that every trial you overcome makes you stronger and gives you the potential to be more successful. Welcome them.
Thanks Mike. I know that people say all these things are lessons along the path to better things and they probably are, but they can shake the foundation of some people, who end up residing in that bad place. I’ve certainly known quite a few, that’s for sure. Eventually almost everyone breaks out of it, but it’d be nice to break out of it sooner on a more regular basis.
I am born Christian, but I’ve never believe in God, nor anybody in my family, on one side my grandparent were scientists – mathematician and physicist and on the other doctor and musician. Respectively my father is an engineer and my mother poet and writer. All of them have some kind of faith, but it isn’t in some supreme power. I was about 12 years old when my grandma bought kid encyclopedia for me (actually she bought me about 20, this particular year), this one was related to religious in the world and actually became my favorite as the stories for every religion were quite attractive. Even on this age, I found out that there is a lot of similarity, but generally in 90%, it was related to relief and hope. 5 years after that, I grown up a bit a formed black metal band, well I was “Satanic”, too. Nothing wrong with that as this religion is based on Niche believes for super human and to rely on your own abilities. Few years after that I moved to live in Asia, I was a Buddhist for quite a while. Soon after that there was a period in which I didn’t believe in anything excepts myself.
There is something interesting, the most “uneducated” person that have been close to me, said the most right thing about my faith. She told me – I don’t know how you do it, but it doesn’t matter what is going on around you and how much down you feel, you always can “charge” the situation with idea and continue. Since that day, I rely on her words and I know that I can carry on, no matter how terrible particular situation is or in what circumstances I can get, my mind will always help me to do it right, in my own way.
That’s a great type of friend to have Carl, and she was absolutely right. I look at people who feel like they’re trapped in a job that way. They can always alter the parameters of their job or they can leave and find something else. Some folks do get themselves into a position where it becomes financially questionable, but there are times when one has to decide what’s more important to them. Overall, no one has to stay anywhere they don’t wish to or live a way they don’t like either.
Is is great, without disrespect women, she is definitely think like a men.
About jobs, there are always many factors that can interfere, as well some “weasels”. Everybody have been in this situation, generally financial part doesn’t matter much as soon as everything is going well and there is excitement doing particular job.
Carl, which “she” are you referring to in this post? lol
Faith is a tricky thing Mitch. We sometimes think we have it and sometimes we think we don’t. The mere fact that you are addressing it indicates you have some sense that “faith exists.”
Trouble is on every side in the lives of everybody. Some folks go for years without seeing much need for faith. While others seem to have to muster up enough faith just to make it through the day.
The truth is, everyday we function in faith as we press through life. I know you said you’re not a religious man and I don’t wan to be offensive. As I read your story, I felt your pain.
I think you might remember I’m a pastor. The reason I bring it up is because I wanted to assure you that even those who have a relationship with God (not necessarily religious folks) have their faith shaken as well.
I’ll tell you a short story and let you go. Nearly 23 years ago my wife and I had our faith shaken in the most miserable way. Her kidneys failed and were just 4 years into our marriage with little money. We didn’t know what to do. Fortunately her kidneys came back after 3 months in the hospital. Then 11 months later her kidneys failed again. Today she has been living on dialysis for 22 years this coming January 2012.
Here’s the good part. Our faith is not shaken today because of what was dished our way. Our faith has increased everyday because each day she wakes up she’s ahead of those who normally die after a few years on dialysis.
Mitch, know that I’m praying for you my friend. You are a man of faith and I am trusting you will see the One who is the author and finisher of your faith in a real way, real soon.
Ced Reynolds
p.s. Sorry I was a word hog. Just felt your pain and wanted to respond.
Thanks for your comment Ced; I appreciate it. But I’m fine, trust me. A little melancholic when I wrote it but I was in a positive place; I had, as I wrote, captured the good things about the year as I researched my life for the year for that post on my other blog and saw that overall it was a good year. I usually have faith that in the end things will work out most of the time, most people are good, and chocolate will always taste good. With beliefs like this, I’m sure I’ll be around for awhile. 😉
Hi Mitch,
So sorry about your Grandmother. As you said, when things start going bad they start compounding on each other and seem to bury us. It’s like when we’re down we draw more negative events and energy to us. If we believe in ourselves and go back over that time period and count our blessings, we can see that it isn’t as bleak as it may seem to us. We have to pick it up and move on. And, things normally work out. I do believe in God, but he did give us that free will and I’ve always found that it cuts both ways!
Thanks Ann. I think one bad thing intensifies everything else and then it’s easier to see all the bad things happening. It’s just so easy to feel bad, which is why we can’t always allow ourselves to fall so deep into depression that we stay there for a long time. Sometimes it is unavoidable, but at other times, finding a reason to feel good is the way to go.
Oh, Mitch, you keep posting these sad stories, First a good friend of yours, then your Grandma. I am truly sorry! I had started to think about this too, meaning that sometimes I must experience multiple and accelerated losses. Oh my! We’ll survive, we must survive!
Yes Emilia, we must survive and go on, and it doesn’t hurt to have something to have faith in to help you pull out of the doldrums when they get to you. Sorry for all the sadness. 🙂