Is Faith Enough?

Late nights often get me wondering about life, death, faith and hope. This just happens to be my thoughts for the night. I hope that there may be one person it could touch. We just never know what is to come in our lives but I think that if we all have something for us to believe in, hope and faith will show you clarity of your beliefs. Nurses Spirituality Article

Is Faith Enough?

I use to think that faith was enough- that if I had enough faith, I could accomplish anything. Faith is something that I think can lead us into the belief of being able to have a stronghold on life. When the tough gets going, we start to see that cloud of darkness roll in. I have always been known to be a Christian, but the closer I get to thinking I know who I am, or what I am and believe in- things change. One minute I am feeling this complete satisfaction of life as if some light of clarity has suddenly turned on inside of me. The next moment I am wondering how I am able to even survive another day on this earth.

There are nights that I have trouble sleeping; I'm just staring up at the ceiling with my mind going a mile a minute. I'm sure there are many other people who do this as well. I just start thinking about things in life. One thought always crosses my mind: I am going to die. We all know it's coming, there is no escaping the reality of what human life becomes. We exist, we live and we die. It's something no one really wants to talk about, yet we are all swimming in the same ocean of life. I try to wrap my mind around the concept of death but it's hard. I see death often since I work in the medical field. It's not that shocking to be doing the final preparing of a body before the funeral home straps the body to the gurney to be prepared for the last viewing before the body is buried six feet under. Sounds kind of morbid, doesn't it? What happens to our souls after we die? There are so many different religions, so many different beliefs. How do we know that our religion, our belief- is the "right" one?

I grew up going to a Methodist church- so from a young age, I was told I was a Christian because I believed in God and sang all the church hymnals, was baptized and did all the things that a young christian person should do. The older I got, the more I thought about how my faith never really started until I lost my faith. I had gone through the phase of depression and lost what faith I had in life. It was much easier to just stay in that dark depression and not feel anything toward life (like a numbness)- but the deeper I got, the harder it was for me to feel anything toward life. I don't really remember how my faith came back, but I knew that I needed to find some kind of happiness in life.

I'm sure most people know about God and the story of Jesus, Noah's arc, etc. As a kid, I remember reading from the children's bible- seeing all these colorful pictures of the arc, the cross where Jesus had died for our sins, the heavenly angels playing the harps on this big white puffy clouds. The more I think of it as an adult, the more it seems all that stuff was written like a fairy tale. We don't want to think of what is -next- after our death so we want to fill it up with something that seems too good to be true.

I don't believe there are coincidences in life. I believe there is a purpose for everything that happens. We may not know it until after our hindsight of the experience, but I think there is a reason for all the good and bad things of the world. After my father's death at the age of 59, I tried to close my eyes and pray. It was hard...I was angry that my dad had died so young, and maybe I just wasn't in the right state of mind to pray when I was angry. I eventually overcame the anger and was in that accepting stage. A few different times I had dreams of my father- almost like I could touch him. It brought a lot of emotions- knowing that he is only as far away as I let him be. We are stuck in these bodies for a long while- these awful, hard to maintain at times- bodies. My dad had a lot of stuff wrong with his heart and lungs- it just caused him an early death. But death isn't as negative as it sounds- it's kind of like putting a beloved pet down because you don't want to see them suffer anymore. God knows the person is suffering, the person's body isn't responding the way it should so he puts the body to rest and their soul lives on in the dimension of the universe for which we can't see with our humanly eyes. There is not a doubt in my mind that there is something "more" ...there are too many miracles, too many things to think we were all created from some "big bang" ...the simplicities of a blooming flower, the sounds of birds chirping, the way the stars shine brightly in a clear midnight sky. That is where my faith comes in. There is just too many beautiful things in the world to think that we humans could make it all up. The miracle of birth- how we all are so different and yet we all have two eyes, ten toes, ten fingers, etc. How awesome is it to see a child born to this world- and life to begin once again.

I may not be the picture perfect Christian. I know I'm not even a good enough human to deserve this life; to be able to see what life brings forward. I know that I am, however, full of faith. Faith has taught me that no matter how hard life gets, no matter the good from the worse things that happen in life, faith will carry me through. I've heard the saying that someone has faith the size of a mustard seed; althought that's a very small amount of faith- it's something that can carry you through. We all need faith- I hope that wherever the wind may blow, no matter how difficult life comes- faith can reach us all. I have faith there has to be a better tomorrow; why? Because without it, there's no use in living. I'd say faith is enough- enough to give us Hope.

jaelpn

About jaelpn, LPN

LPN; Specialty: Skilled geriatric nursing care

3 Articles   45 Posts

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Specializes in Trauma, ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, GI, Cardiology, OR.

enlightening~

You apparently don't fully understand the 'mustard seed' reference. I am not Christian, but know that parable.

Your entire article is an affront to those who are non-believers. Without faith there is no reason to live???

Sorry that I read this.

Enjoyed this article

Merlee, faith can be in anything. Everyone has faith and hope in something. :) Scientists can hope for a breakthrough in whatever field their studying. Nurses can hope that their patients (and employers) are cordial. Christians have a hope for eternal life with God. Atheists hope in whatever makes them tick. I'm a Christian; but if you discount all belief in a Supreme Being, it still helps to have faith in something! For example, faith that your husband/wife doesn't cheat on you, hope that you wake up to see your kids/family one more time, hope that your friend with cancer can conquer it...etc. So literally, without hope (in something) there'd be no reason to live.

The story above is simply a persons account...what they went through, their experiences over time, and how a particular faith made them whole. I thought it was a great article. :) Testimonies are always uplifting to a fellow believer. :hug:

No, faith isn't "enough" to accomplish anything. You need the underlying talent (which you're either born with or not), fortuitous circumstances, a lot of hard work, and true inner motivation to accomplish whatever it is you're looking to do. I could pray to Zeus all day to make me a professional ballerina and it will never happen because I wasn't born with that talent or body type. I could pray to Thor all day to pass nursing school and NCLEX but without a ton of studying and the motivation to succeed, I would have failed anyway. I could pray to Ra all day for a job but without fortuitous circumstances like a friend to refer me or sending in my resume at exactly the right time, I'd still be unemployed. Life and the outcomes we all face are the result of complex circumstances, it is never as simple as "just faith" or "just luck."

Specializes in Neuro ICU/Trauma/Emergency.

While I am no Christian or specific religion, I do think the universe is of supernatural existence. I don't know what makes the world turn on its axis or if humans evolved from primates or magically in the sky. But, I do have a great deal of respect for those who find the strength to believe in an unforeseen supernatural being who created this entire universe!

I guess faith is enough for some! For others, like myself, faith has only been proven by my ability to ignore the obstacles & persevere.

Specializes in LTC and School Health.

Faith has been more than enough for me. With faith plus your effort, mountains truly move.

"Faith has been more than enough for me. With faith plus your effort, mountains truly move."

I've moved metaphorical mountains simply with effort, talent, and fortuitous circumstances (i.e., luck). Get back to me when you get first chair in an orchestra on faith alone.

I hope you don't just drop to your knees and start praying when your patient codes.

Jaelpn, should those without what you define as faith off themselves? They may think they're happy, they may think they're productive, they may find the cure for cancer, but it's all an illusion. They're actually useless people -- right?

There is an inverse relationship between educational attainment and depth of religious faith. Imagine that.

Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

I told myself I would never join a religious debate on here. But I had to because of a recent conversation I had with my gf. She was born and raised into a catholic house. Me, not so much. I dont like religion. But to each their own. I wont try to change you.

We were at a catholic wedding this weekend, which are terrible to begin with but thats a whole different story. Anyway she said something to me that really bothered me. "If it was meant to be it will all work out". **** I hate that. Nothing ever works out just if it was meant to. It works out because you work your hardest to make the ends happen. I see it as a cop out for people that dont give it 100% or that cant find a way to make things work. I find faith in the same way. I cant just blindly believe things will work out when I know they wont.

And for the record. Faith does NOT equal hope.

Specializes in Psych, LTC/SNF, Rehab, Corrections.
We all need faith- I hope that wherever the wind may blow, no matter how difficult life comes- faith can reach us all. I have faith there has to be a better tomorrow; why? Because without it, there's no use in living. I'd say faith is enough- enough to give us Hope.

'No use living'...for you.

I'm an atheist and I get on fine, thanks. If there's something to be done, I understand that I can't lean on some sky-god to carry me 45% of the way. I have to pull myself together and take myself there with my own two little legs.

Through sheer willpower and action have I done as much as I have in this life.

I have plenty of reasons to go on living and plenty of things to be proud of. My life's work - the life that I lead - is something to be proud of.

I thought that it was a nice story, too. Until I hit the conclusion.

Yes - this poster IS talking about 'religious faith'. Obviously.

So, because I don't have religious faith - there's no point in living. Great.

It doesn't offend. It annoys and I've no idea why any in this thread would try to pretend that the individual is not saying what's so clearly written in black bold print.

...and they wonder why militant atheists exist.

Inspiring and I commend you for being bold in your faith! Way to go!

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