I'm wondering how significant any of you who read this find an "act of faith"? By this, I mean a conscious, deliberate, calling to mind God's presence, and entrusting oneself and one's situation to God, in some manner.

I write this because, in my experience, it changes everything. I can be going along, even striving for loving awareness in the NOW, and that is very good, of course. This is a kind of act of faith, for sure, as it opens one to whatever Love wishes to communicate, and is far better than just coasting along on one's conditioning with little awareness of self or surroundings. But when, in addition to striving to be here now in love, I take it to a theistic level, a kind of ineffable presence and guidance becomes more tangible.

The acts of faith which enable this shift in consciousness need not, for me, be very complex. They might constitute the kinds of short phrases many of us who went to Catholic school were taught. As you will see, some of these are quite informal.
E.g., "Hi, Lord. What's happening?"
"My Lord and My God."
"What now, Lord?"
"Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me."
"Show me the way, Lord."
"Help, Lord."
"Oh God."
Etc.

It is these acts of faith which help to maintain the awareness of God obtained through the many acts of faith made in prayer and meditation alive all day long.

Comments? Experiences?

Phil

"It is these acts of faith which help to maintain the awareness of God obtained through the many acts of faith made in prayer and meditation alive all day long."

I'm not sure that it is the acts that maintain the awareness but maybe the awareness that enables the acts. If I am not aware that God is with me, why would I turn to him? On the other hand if I am aware/trust/believe that God is aways with us - beside us in love, this reaching out comes as natural as breathing.

The more we look for God, the more we are able to see God and the more we are able to be in relationship with God.

It is easier to recognize God in the beauty and joy but much harder in the ugliness and tragedy but he is there in both.

"I will be with you always....."

Thoughts?
Wanda

Agreed, Wanda, that to even consider making an act of faith presupposes an a priori kind of awareness of God or at least of the invitation to make this act. This is what classical theology called prevenient grace.

It is easier to recognize God in the beauty and joy but much harder in the ugliness and tragedy but he is there in both.

Yes indeed. What makes the difference to me is to realize that God is even in the "looking," and so can be present as the See-er no matter what the circumstances.

Phil

Phil...
Two thought - pieces of good advice I was given come to mind here...
Be careful what you pray for because you just might get it.
Be aware that when you ask for the presence of the Spirit you may not always like what he/she has in mind.

The thing we often forget or fail to truly believe is that prayer does change things and sometimes the thing that is changed is us.

Peace,
Wanda

quote:

Two thought - pieces of good advice I was given come to mind here...
Be careful what you pray for because you just might get it.
Be aware that when you ask for the presence of the Spirit you may not always like what he/she has in mind.

Wow...I would have said the exact thing! We learn that throughout life, don't we!? I've tried to tell my niece's this, but they don't buy it. I think one day they'll be saying, "Gosh, maybe old auntie there was right!" (As I am..lol).

Blessings.

I recently read, and it has been my experience, that "spiritual growth is more about letting go than trying harder."

My sense of Phil's "Act's of Faith" are really a letting go. This letting go requires real trust, which involves befriending uncertainty. Yet, there is a certainty that God will direct my life into something better than I can ask or imagine.

John

I remember some of the early work William James did when he wrote about the will to believe. He happened to be a precursor to the existentialists, but, his essential point was that when we actively believe something-such as an act of faith requires-we are deliberately willing something invisible into existence. We are making the unseen seen through our act of faith. In a way (to pun off of the language of materialism) we produce the reality we believe to be true. That is not to say we create this reality. We simply allow God to help us experience it with our eyes and our ears by choosing to believe. Echoing the previous thread, being careful what we choose....that's the rub!

Following up my last few words, it's important not to become attatched to the things we are blessed/cursed with as a result of our act of faith. When we step into the unknown we risk finding the unknown. To have preconceptions about what we wish to find merely leads to disorientation, disappointment, and, potential harm (on the negative side) or great joy and surprise (on the positive). Being careful about the end to which we believe becomes, then, a fine line about trust: ourselves or God. Trust is the key. Abandonment of all desires to God seems the safest (and straightest) line to follow. By abandoning our preconceptions, our fears, our hopes, even ourselves, we simply become what we are, i.e., what God made/is making/will make us to be.

All very good, Will. Good sound insights. Seems the Spirit's got a hold of your heart and mind.

Phil