What does it mean to be faithful? Is it a matter of personal ethics? Is it a matter of religion?
Being faithful in personal ethics is important. I believe it means being true to oneself and to others. It means knowing what my ethics are. I believe in honesty -- but not in cruelty masked in honesty. I believe in loyalty -- but not in being manipulated by others through that loyalty. I believe in integrity -- I do my best whether others are watching or not; and I try to always acknowledge and correct my mistakes. I believe that in an intimate relationship -- dating and marriage -- there is no other option. Do not look left and do not look right. Your body and heart are no longer yours, they have now been given to the other. Before we are in committed relationships, I believe that we must guard our bodies and our hearts and minds for the relationship that is to come.
So what about religion? What does it mean to be faithful in a religious sense? I believe that faithful people are "filled with faith". That sounds pretty simplistic, but consider all of life's challenges and how the faithful face them. I am a Christian. I believe in God. I believe in Jesus the Christ, the messiah, the risen one. He is all-powerful. He loves me. He watches over me. He does not tempt me. Anything that comes into my life must first be allowed to come to me by God.
So. Hardships: broken relationships; broken finances; disappointments in others; disappointments in myself. How should I face them? With hope. With the joy that I am NEVER alone. Remembering that now is only now; there is an eternity waiting for me and this is just kindergarten for that. I believe that I am to be the face of God's love for people here on earth; that I am to be his loving arms and helping hands to others. When I am hurt, I know He cares and understands because of the hurts He suffered here on earth. When I am disappointed, I know He knows and sympathizes. When I am scared, I know He is holding me.
Faithfulness. I believe it has incredible power to guide our lives. It brings constancy and comfort.
