I would like to begin by saying that the first big step in our life is the step of Faith. Faith gives meaning and purpose to life, Faith that there is an infinite intelligence that has created the orderliness of the universe, from the incomprehensibly intricate chemistry of the human body to the precise accuracy of the swing of the planets.
Faith is like a light; a light that shines in the tangled underbrush of a primeval forest giving a flicker, a hint of hope that there is a way out, that there is escape, there is hope of freedom. Faith works in your mind and mine to shed a glow through the tangled meshes of the many distorted, limited and false beliefs that originate from the outer world and are plastered over your basic sense of identity.
No matter what happens to you, you must cling to your candle of faith that these things are but shadows and underbrush that can be successfully overcome. No matter what is IN you: fears, passions, tensions, aching emotions of depression, loneliness, boredom – you must never drop that candle of faith that there is a power, a process, a seed of perfection ever working deep down within you inclining you toward complete fulfillment .
It is a mistake to abandon your faith because of unhappy things that happen in Iran, or Russia or China or anywhere in the world. It is defeating yourself to abandon your faith in a spiritual universe that co-exists with the physical universe because you can not understand the “why” of a tragedy.    And hardest of all is to stick to your faith when appearances in your own life and personal world tempt you to give up, give up the journey toward the light and give in to the many escapes and distractions that are available.
Oh, we have faith, faith in a lot of things. But when you list the things you have faith in, it is usually directed outward. You have faith that a lot of money would give you the kind of life you desire. You have faith that if present conditions would magically change and be replaced by your dream conditions, your life would be beautiful. Yes, we use faith every day, but faith in what?
Where to begin?  Begin right where you are.  Use your control over your thoughts to the best of your ability to point your faith inward toward God. Faith, is looking at that tiny mustard seed and seeing the full-grown mustard  tree. Faith is seeing the sun disappear in the evening and knowing it will reappear on the morrow. Faith is that deep inner knowing that regardless of what we have done or not done, God loves us.
There will be times when our faith will slip. when the appearance world seems to be winning. But it is possible, even underneath surface thoughts and feelings of despair, fright, depression, anger, hopelessness – to maintain a deeper level of faith in God, faith in the triumph of Good.   I know, I’ve been there. And will probably be again. But I know, too, that once you make the decision to plant your seed of faith in the fertile field of your mind, it will, as Jesus sincerely stated, grow like the mustard seed.
Do you ever get the feeling that life doesn’t make any sense?  Well, it doesn’t when one all-essential ingredient is missing. And that ingredient is Faith. Faith that there is yet more than the eye can see, and the ear can hear, more than the senses report.  Faith that there is a transcendent Reality and Wisdom and Love and you are part of it as the drop of ocean water is part of the sea.
Let your mind speak to your senses:   “I have faith that I am one with the energizing forces of the universe. All that has come before has brought me here and I celebrate this Faith.”