How important is your faith to you?

[fluffyduckie]

I am a Christian and it was thinking about some Bible verses that led me to ask the question but I don't want to exclude other faiths - more of a general faith type question.

I was reading scriptures that basically said that God and faith should be central in your life. I am struggling with that - I am a particularly good Christian anyway - as I get all caught up in life and problems and family and work and, although I pray and read the Bible, quite often it gets bumped down the priority list.

So..... Is your faith central to your life?

I don't really know many Christians or believers at all so I don't know if everyone else just has this sorted and it is me that is struggling!

I think it depends on what you mean by "central to your life". For me it's similar to breathing being central to my life. Often my faith is present and at work without me actively thinking about it. Just like my breathing.

Sometimes I actively contemplate it my faith. Sometimes I meditate and focus on my breathing. I don't think having faith as central to your life necessitates being consciously aware of it all the time.

Does any of that make sense?

I'm with Dione on this. It sounds from your OP as though you were thinking of your faith as if it were somehow separate from the other things in your life (work and family and whatever...), whereas, for me, my faith is part of who I am, and therefore is also part of how I approach my work and my family and all the other things I do.

I read this quote on FB on a wall -

"What if, for twenty-four hours, Jesus wakes up in your bed, walks in your shoes, lives in your house, assumes your schedule? Your boss becomes his boss, your mother becomes his mother, your pains become his pains? With one exception; nothing about your life changes. Your health doesn't change. Your circumstances don't change. Your schedule isn't altered. Your problems aren't solved. Only one change occurs. What if, for one day and one night, Jesus lives your life with his heart? Your heart gets the day off, and your life is led by the heart of Christ. His priorities govern your actions. His passions drive your decisions. His love directs your behavior. What would you be like? Would people notice a change? Your family would they see something new? Your coworkers would they sense a difference? What about the less fortunate? Would you treat them the same? And your friends? Would they detect more joy? How about your enemies? Would they receive more mercy from Christ's heart than from yours? And you? How would you feel? What alterations would this transplant have on your stress level? Your mood swings? Your temper? Would you sleep better? Would you see sunsets differently? Taxes differently? Any chances you'd need fewer aspirin and sedatives? How about your reaction to traffic delays? (Ouch, that touched a nerve.) Would you still dread what you are dreading? Better yet, would you still do what you are doing?" -Max Lucado, Just Like Jesus

And it really made me think as everyone I know would notice a change!

I'm reading Rick Warren's "The Purpose Driven Life" which addresses this issue. I would say my faith (Christian) is central to my life; I am mindful of it. Which Bible verses were you contemplating, OP? The one I seem to be engaging a lot right now is the one about holding captive each thought.

Sorry, posted too soon, And making each thought obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians, 10:5)

Very, very important to me. I don't think I would be in one piece without faith.

My faith is absolutely central to my life. I can't separate it from other things. it informs all my decisions, behaviours and attitudes. Like Annunziata, I don't think that I could cope with my life without it.

I try very hard to be like fluffy's quote. I'm not very good at it, but every day I pray that God will make me more like Jesus so that He will be in the eyes of all who come into contact with me. We are here to be Christ to those around us. As I get older, I find that this is increasingly important to me - I've kind of left the "selfish" bits of faith behind me.

Faith is a relationship and my relationship with God is the foundation stone for the rest of my life.

it is central to my existence

Yes it is central to my life too. I try to think,( not always sucessfully, but I try!) "What would Jesus do?" before I speak, or make any judgements.
fluffyduckie - thank you for posting the Max Lucado quote -great food for thought!

I agree with Dione, to me faith is as central as breathing. I don't have a specific religion, more a jumble of beliefs that work for me (drawing heavily from Paganism), so I think that's why I feel that way.

I find that when I let my faith slip down the priority list, everything goes wrong - its only when I put God first again that things fall into place. Have you tried asking God to help you to put Him first, OP? God knows that we mess up and forget Him at times, because humans have never been any different - so we don't need to struggle on our own, God understands us and wants to help us.

My faith is my saviour.

You don't have to try to do anything. His spirit is in you and he has said he will finish the job he started - so enjoy the journey. He's great, fabulous, better than you can even imagine kind of thing.

Sorry, backing up a bit: my faith is not only central but who I am. Or, God is central and who I am. NOt that I'm God, but that he is in me, doing what he does (brilliantly).

I don't really like that quote on the FB wall because it is potentially anxiety-producing re 'am I a good-enough christian? Do I try hard enough?' Like I said, you don't have to try hard to be what he wants you to be, he's doing that job.

If you don't mind me pointing out the typo in your OP: 'I am a particularly good christian'. Yes, you are! His handiwork

It's very, very important, it feels like a part of me, like heartbeat, or drawing breath.

I'm Muslim and in the Quran it says "God is nearer to you then your jugular vein", so I know God knows that I'm far, far from perfect, but I really do love God very much.