As a follower of God, we are often told that we should have blind faith. Having blind faith means that no matter what reality looks like, we trust and believe in God’s ability to do the impossible. This blind faith has been demonstrated in instances such as the testimonies of others who have experienced doctors saying one thing, yet their health defies all odds, leaving doctors puzzled. Having blind faith can have a positive impact on mental and emotional health being that our thoughts have influence on our behaviors. If we believe that bad things will happen to us, then our behavior will be reflective of that. Vice versa, if we believe that good things will happen, then our behavior is more positive and upbeat. Hebrews 11:1 states that,”...faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Dictionary.com defines faith as belief that is not based on proof. Personally, having faith in God has gotten me through some really tough situations. Yet, I am facing one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to experience in life with my granny having health issues and having to be admitted to a nursing home. My faith is taking a huge hit because I want to so badly trust and believe in God that things will turn around and she will get better. However, the facts of the situation are not looking too good. It is said that facts are the enemy of faith. But how do I know the difference between having faith and being delusional? Maybe it’s the therapist in me, but this is a concept that I am struggling with often. In the mental health world, being delusional means “maintaining fixed false beliefs even when confronted with facts, usually as a result of mental illness.” I’m at a standstill right now where my spiritual guidance and mental health guidance are at war. Maybe you’ve been there too. Stuck in the middle of two beliefs that are both valid. So, what do you do? Honestly, I don’t know the correct answer to this. But here is what I’m choosing to do. One, I am choosing to acknowledge and accept the facts. Pretending that the facts don’t exist or don’t matter will not make them go away. Therefore, I am facing the facts head on and giving myself the space to grieve, cry, scream, etc. in order to process those facts. Next, and most importantly, I am trying to teach myself how to accept whatever is in God’s will. Of course, I want God’s will to be my granny making a full recovery and being her old self again. But I don’t know God’s will or when it will come to pass. In the meantime, I have been trying new things and taking care of myself in new ways that I never have before. This doesn’t mean that I constantly keep myself busy and distract myself to the point where I don’t think about my granny and what may happen to her. It means that I am working on finding balance between handling my responsibilities, allowing myself to grieve, and enjoying the good aspects of life too. Some days I am successful, and other days I find myself falling short. But every day I am choosing to trust God in the process. I guess in a way you can say that I am using my faith effectively. Instead of having faith in God that he will heal my granny, I have faith in God that I will be fine no matter what happens. Now where’s the delusion in that? #faith #mentalhealth #delusion #delusional #TeatimeWithGod
