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Faith in Our Lives

© Kristen Pasculli

It's part of being human - we question our purpose, our creation, our lives.

Spirituality is something we all encounter during our lives. If you are a specific religion and have made that a regular part of your life, you're very active spiritually. Some people have individual beliefs and are not involved in organized religious groups.

Regardless of your religious or spiritual origin, the role of faith in your life can have positive benefits.

Why? Because faith gives you a foundation, guidance and understanding about life's ups and downs.

According to a story by Roger Martin about the University of Kansas, one study showed that patients with religious faith and social support are 12 times more likely to survive open-heart surgery. Another concluded that the mortality rate for people who attend religious services once a week is 25 to 35 percent lower than among those who worship less frequently. And clinical studies have confirmed a link between prayer and meditation, reduced blood pressure and heart rate.

It's not just about physical health, either. Faith can help us with all aspects of our lives, including our emotional and mental well-being. Baumeister (1991), in an impressive psychological and historical analysis, says that four basic needs push us to find meaning in our lives. If all four are satisfied, we feel life is meaningful; otherwise, we feel somewhat dissatisfied.

These needs are (1) to have purpose-- striving for something in the future. You may seek goals (good job, children, retirement) or fulfillment (happiness, pride, how we imagine we will feel when we reach our worthy goals).

(2) A need to have value --wanting to be seen as good and justified in our actions. Moral systems, like the Golden Rule, originally enabled us to live together with some degree of harmony.

(3) A need for efficacy --feeling effective, capable, in control, and that we have made or will make a difference. Humans even need and strive for illusions of control; a myth reduces distress.

(4) A need for self-worth-- finding a basis for feeling positive about their lives. The more of these sources of self-esteem we have, the more secure we are. (But, excessive demands on the "self" for meaning causes depression.)

If you haven't explored religions and beliefs, I urge you to do so. It's all up to you.

There's no doubt that having a spiritual life (hopefully one in Jesus Christ!) can make life more fulfilling.

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