How To Keep Your Faith Up—Even When Life Is Difficult
The strongest, most inspiring people in history are the ones who chose to love regardless of their circumstances. What gives some people the ability to love where others fail? Faith. Faith is the decision to love, no matter the circumstances. And the more you choose love, the greater your faith will grow.
It’s easy to lose hope in this upside-down world full of poverty, war, and pain. Love, under these conditions, can seem pointless—even weak. But it's just the opposite. Love can be difficult. But if you ask me, it's our greatest purpose. Here are five ways I try to keep faith when it seems impossible:
1. Pray.
Ask God, the universe, or whatever higher force you believe in for the strength to love to your full potential. I try to keep an open dialogue with the source of all love to guide me through difficult times.
2. Be generous to others.
Sometimes the greatest strength we can receive comes through helping others in need. Love is always there for us to draw upon, and it’s easiest for me to see when I decide to share it freely with others.
3. Get inspired.
Let inspiration help you stay connected through faith. When I'm feeling hopeless, I read about the lives of people who’ve demonstrated faith in amazing ways.
4. Surround yourself with people you admire.
We are how we spend our time. So if you want to walk the path of faith, pave it with as many faithful people as you can. I choose friends who refuse to settle in their relationships and careers and who challenge me to love like it’s my last day on earth. (Finding those types of friends has been hard. Focusing on being that kind of friend has helped.)
5. Get the ball rolling first thing in the morning.
First thing in the morning, I carve out 10 minutes to meditate on faith, and ask for everything I need to love like crazy. That starts my day with the momentum I need to make even the hardest decisions.
Faith is the decision to love when it seems impossible. And if you’re anything like me, you sometimes wake up with the weight of the world on your shoulders. Rather than give in and settle for less, set a daily intention to love—no matter how hard it may be.
Daniel Dowling is a freelance journalist and copywriter based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His writing focuses on personal development and has been featured in Entrepreneur, Fast Company, and FitBit. He studied sociology and anthropology at New Mexico State University.