In today's politically charged world opinions and attitudes change with every newscast. If the latest poll data show that one way of thinking is popular, then that's the direction we should all go. A person's belief should be something that they stand firm in as the truth. The dictionary actually states that belief is trust, faith, or confidence in something or someone. In America, we've obviously changed the definition of belief. We change our mind on what we believe in so much that the concept of belief is becoming as mythical as a unicorn. The question is why? Why don't our beliefs stand the test of time anymore? Are we so advanced that nothing is true anymore?
The biggest problem with our belief system is our moods. At certain points in our life we have a basic need to believe in something and have major convictions to take a hard stand on that belief. Then at other points in our life, usually when things are very successful, we have a much more lax view of life, and our convictions wane because of it. One of the key moods that kill our belief system is self pity. We are all raised to believe that you should work hard to get ahead in life. Then times get tough and we start to list all the things that we have working against us in life. That's when we allow self pity to intervene and let us by-pass our belief of hard work. Then we are free from the restraints of our belief system and can get ahead by any means necessary. Most of us are raised to believe that a higher power is watching over us. Unfortunately, when times get tough we feel like that higher power has abandoned us. Then our selfish feelings push away those beliefs of a higher power and more importantly the self governing rules that come with that belief. We will all to quickly abandon the rules that protect us and those around us from our selfish acts that come with self pity. Letting your feelings govern your belief system can be harmful for all you come into contact with.
I guess the question is, if you change your belief for any reason at all, was it every really a belief of yours? Yes, I know we all grow older and make wiser choices and believe things we should have believed all along. That's not what I'm getting at. The issue I'm talking about is changing your beliefs with the change of seasons. A belief should be something that can guide you through the ups and downs of your life. Whether your feeling good or bad about your life, your belief should remain in tact. No matter what your friends are doing your beliefs should still dictate your actions and reactions to this life. If your belief is on uncertain ground so is your life, family, and friends. A little discipline in your belief system will go a long ways to stabilize your life. I hope you find the courage to stand firm in your beliefs.
