What Does It Mean To Have Faith?
Have faith! We have all said it or had someone say it to us. If we take a moment to contemplate the meaning of these words and the circumstances in which we use them, we realise that having faith means believing in something without concrete evidence—without facts, promises, or certainty. It is a trust in something intangible, a deep-seated hope that something will manifest. We put our sincere hopes in it and simply have faith.
Whether we are religious, spiritual, or neither, we all have faith—faith in goodness, in humanity, in life’s miraculous triumph. Whether we realise it or admit it, faith is ingrained in our existence. We can all agree that good and evil coexist powerfully in our world and that life is difficult. Tragedy and misfortune—along with their opposites—are inevitable, and our very existence is nothing short of miraculous.
"The Act of Faith is the Adventure of Life"
Jordan Peterson once said, “The act of faith is by definition the adventure of life.” Without faith, life would lose its excitement. If we knew everything with certainty, there would be no adventure. Even when life wounds us, Peterson argues, “it becomes incumbent upon you to maintain faith in the fundamental goodness of existence, including your own, despite the evidence to the contrary.”
Every morning, we wake up fully aware of life’s potential for cruelty, unfairness, and unpredictability. And yet, we get out of bed (hopefully even make the bed), wash our faces, and step into the world—not just with hope, but with faith. Faith that something good and meaningful will happen. Faith that, even if misfortune befalls us, we will find a way through it—perhaps with the goodwill and kindness of others. Without this fundamental faith in life’s goodness, existence would become unbearably anxious, oppressive, and riddled with fear.
Thinking about faith in this way helps us bridge the gap between the casual “Have faith” sentiment and the deeply personal, religious experience of faith. In essence, believing in God or a higher power is about having faith without tangible proof—because that is the very nature of faith.
"Blessed Are Those Who Have Not Seen and Yet Believe"
When reading the Bible, I often wondered: Why did the resurrected Jesus appear to Apostle Paul—a fervent persecutor of Christians? After seeing Jesus, Paul had overwhelming, undeniable evidence, and of course, he became a believer. Yet, Jesus said to Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” (John 20:29)
The early Christians had faith in Jesus—His miraculous birth, His resurrection—despite facing persecution, torture, and even death. But why didn’t Jesus simply show himself to every nonbeliever? Why not convert everyone in a single moment and save every soul? After all, he sacrificed himself in the most physically excruciating way so that we could all inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.
And yet, for most of us, Jesus leaves it to us to have faith—despite the lack of concrete evidence. Why? It is beyond me to speculate, but whatever the reason, one thing is clear: If Jesus had appeared to everyone, we wouldn’t be talking about faith anymore. It would be something else entirely—but not faith.
Faith Unlocks Transformation
This idea is beautifully illustrated in The Polar Express (2004), a film I watched with my children. In one powerful scene, the main character, a boy who has stopped believing in Santa, embarks on a journey filled with trials and adventures. He finally reaches the North Pole, eagerly awaiting the moment when Santa appears. But amidst the roaring cheers of the crowd, Santa remains obscured from his view. It is only when the boy closes his eyes and declares, “I believe!” that he is able to see Santa in his full glory.
It is in the act of faith that a profound transformation takes place—one that grants us vision, strength, ability, or understanding we didn’t possess just moments before.
Yoga as an Act of Faith
Practicing Yoga, too, is an act of faith. Although we know with our intellect that the physical, mental, and holistic benefits of Yoga come with practice and consistency, it takes faith to return to the mat again and again—especially when we experience what we perceive as setbacks. It takes an even greater leap of faith to trust that continued practice will elevate every aspect of our being, guiding us towards our full potential.
Practising Yoga helps us connect to our truest, unpolluted essence—the whispers of our hearts—so that we may hear what ears cannot hear, know what cannot be learned, and see what cannot be seen.
Faith is not about certainty; it is about stepping forward despite uncertainty. It is about showing up with courage, trusting the wisdom within us, and opening ourselves to the possibility of profound transformation.
Have faith—and keep practising.
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