Faith and Understanding

I have always been taught to have faith. Have faith in what, you may wonder? My family has ALWAYS had a grounded faith in God that "He will make a way". I was raised to believe that God will see me through all of my tough times and He will see me through to the other side. As I have gotten older and "smarter" I began to question faith because I did not always get what I wanted. No matter how much I prayed about......believed in it........trusted in it. I seemed to get let down quite a bit because my prayers were not answered. So, why have faith if you don't get what you want?

Even though I have questioned my faith a few times, someone that was really close to me one time said that "you may not get what you want in the time you wanted or even the way you want it, but you will get what you need in God's time". Really? Is that like the fine print when they tell you to pray and God will make a way?

No matter how many questions I may ask, I have always maintained that I have faith and will continue to have faith in God, there really is no struggle there anymore. God WILL make a way out of no way.....if you let it happen. Amen!!

Now, most recently, my faith was strengthened by the news that a close friend of mine has been CURED of breast cancer. She had to go to the extreme and back but she made it. And, although the extreme changed her physically, she having dealt with this has made her more of a complete woman and person than she started out. A new lease on life and recognition that with every moment, you are not promised the next. This is a lesson that I surely need to learn again and I would venture to say that most people should. Now, don't think I am asking for a tragedy.....no ma'am.....I hope that my lesson was having watched my friend go through this and have what I think was mine and many others prayers answered.

I understand more now that God knows what is best for us and if we have faith in that we will be alright. Doesn't mean that we should just sit back and let the blessings roll in, I mean, God helps those that help themselves.......For Real! Oh, I will continue to ask questions.....but I won't let my faith come into question again. It won't always be an easy road for any of us. We will struggle and fight and claw and hurt and cry....but remember, that when you make it to the other side of that struggle, you will hopefully come out with a better understanding of self and approach the next steps with a new lesson in your tool kit for life.

Oh, my faith is in tact......I am just working on understanding it. For Real!!