My slightly naive faith

I’ve always had what I would describe as slightly ridiculous faith. My faith in miracles can probably be described as naive, and the older I get, the more I realise that people experience faith very differently.

I’ve had conversations with people who believe that, at some point, circumstances become final. An event has happened, a decision has been made, a particular outcome seems inevitable. I’ve never been very good at thinking that way. Even when something has happened, I have this instinctive belief that there is still room to pray, to act, to ask, or simply to believe that the story can unfold differently.

One of my favourite Bible stories is about King Hezekiah. He was told to put his affairs in order because he was going to die. He prayed and asked God to change His decision, and his life was extended. What has always stayed with me is not just the miracle itself, but the possibility that something can look final and still not be final.

I remember praying after my S6 final exams and actually quoting the story of Hezekiah. I told God that if His will was for me to fail, I was asking Him to change it. I passed. I know there are many ways someone could interpret that experience, but for me, it became one of those moments that strengthened something I already believed.

That faith has carried me through big things, like life changes and difficult decisions, but it also shows up in ridiculously small things, like praying that the electricity comes back on. 😂

I like that I have childlike faith. As adults, we become very good at managing expectations. We learn to be realistic, calculate probabilities and prepare ourselves for disappointment. Sometimes, in doing so, we stop leaving room for the unexpected.

Maybe that is why I’m protective of my slightly naive faith. I’d rather leave a little room for miracles than decide too early that something is impossible.

Written by

Joanita Male

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