The Power of Faith: A Christian’s Spiritual Journey

My surname is Hou. I used to work as a chef and a driver for a few years, and I also worked part-time in TCM health care.

When I was a child, I went to the village next to ours, where people there believed in God. I have had some impressions of Christianity since I was little. Later, when I was in my twenties in Luoyang, a brother took me to church and, occasionally, to hear sermons. Therefore, I gradually began to believe in Christianity.

Christianity focuses on the teaching of morality and ethics, which has had an important impact on my outlook on life and values. A Christian education has cultivated my discernment of good and evil and has taught me how to live in harmony with others. When you go to a church and listen to the pastor's sermon, the Psalms, Proverbs, and many other scriptures, the explanations can enlighten a person. Just as eating feeds a person's body, the scriptures in the Bible feed a person's soul.

The Christian faith has given me a source of hope and the belief that "life is hope." Christianity teaches us to believe in God's love and mercy. This keeps me confident and hopeful in the face of difficulties and setbacks. "Grace" in Christian doctrine provides me with spiritual strength. No matter how great the challenges we face, we trust that God will give us the strength to deal with them so that our faith can be the driving force to overcome them. This belief gives us the courage and determination to start anew.

The Christian faith helps us to overcome our psychological distress. Religious believers seek inner peace and relief through prayer, meditation, etc., thereby relieving anxiety and stress and making people feel peaceful and relaxed. At the same time, the power of faith can also help us learn to be accepting, to be tolerant of others, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. This belief allows us to be kind when facing the mistakes of others, thus reducing conflicts and contradictions in our relationships.

Everyone who believes in Christianity will encounter a conflict between faith and practical values, and we should think deeply, explore, and try to resolve the conflict. Society is a melting pot, and there are bound to be people who are prejudiced against us. You have to allow yourself to be yourself, and you have to allow others to be others. Sometimes we can provide information and correct their misconceptions, but sometimes the other person is too narrow-minded and it can be difficult for them to accept other people's views. In these situations, we can’t do anything but be kind to them. Criticism from others does not mean that our beliefs are wrong; it is just the opinions of others. We need to be steadfast in our beliefs.

The reform and inheritance of Christianity require the cooperation of the government and schools to continue the spirit of faith. Young people not only need to learn, participate, cultivate, and inherit the spirit of faith but also need to integrate the spirit of religion into their actions in their daily lives, participate in public welfare activities, and bring positive energy to society.

- Hou

Jenny Liang｜Content curator

Rebecca｜Editor

Hellen｜Translator