Integrity and Faith

The idea of faith and the power of faith is and has been a question in many people’s lives. To quote from scripture we learn “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” ( Heb 11:1) To me this is very clear and tells me if I have faith there isn’t much that I can’t accomplish. When one succeeds in a very difficult task or project, works hard, even prays and the job is completed and the person is pleased, it has turned out well, this is faith in action.

No miracle was asked for, nor was one granted, but the person’s internal integrity, their intellectual honesty, won the battle.

What is internal integrity? It is how honest a person is with themself. Do they tell themselves the truth or do they lie to themselves. If a person discovers truth but won’t accept it, they aren’t honest with themselves because they know it was true and ignored it.

If a person takes credit for what they accomplish and never give thanks for what they have, then they again are not honest to themself. No one ever accomplishes anything by themself. There has and will be thoughts ideas and help from others even God. Be honest and thankful, give credit where credit is due.

While searching for a way to accomplish a project or even how to live a certain way, they discover the answer; they have a choice, which way shall I go? If they follow the path they discover, they develop greater intellectual honesty. They believed they could do the project and complete it and the result is the product of their faith.

Did praying increase their faith? Well one should experiment on the faith of him to whom you pray. If they do not accept the path but return to the old ways, then they lose that opportunity for greater integrity and lie or deceive themself.

A lifetime of believing certainly brings one to the knowledge they seek if it is for a good purpose. Sometimes changing a lifetime of believing is very hard to accept. This is how we succeed or fail. Are we willing to accept the truth or continue in the old methods? Praying is also a product of your internal integrity, your internal honesty. To experiment with your discovery is a better way than to reject what you have found.

Intellectual honesty is how well you know yourself. If you are struggling with any subject or problem, you should self examine why you are struggling.

Know where you stand in the problem or how the subject is relating to you and know thyself. Make a decision on the remedy to your problem and put the remedy to work. Now this is faith in your own self and no one else. This is faith in your belief in what you were led to believe.

The greatest discoveries are those within you, when you are totally honest with yourself. Finding faith is hard work and demands one’s total integrity. If you aren’t honest with your self-examination, then you won’t be able to find a solution to the questions or problems you are trying to solve. Talk it out in prayer and see is He is listening.

Many people can’t stand a self examination, because it is difficult for them to be truthfully honest about themselves to their self. Really knowing oneself is total honesty and this pushes some to turn away from faith in themselves and others. If it isn’t fact, it doesn’t exist, becomes their model.

Knowing oneself can be very humiliating and it takes courage to honestly see what you lack; the needs for improvement and to realize you are human and make mistakes. To truly know yourself is how people change and become better, it is called repentance.

All truth is found in this same process. Truth is available to anyone who seeks it. It is always there and it will always be received by those who are honest in heart and mind. If a person wants to find God it is found in the same way.

Just test the formula and put it to work. Self knowledge and intellectual honesty deserve an answer from deity as to your request. Remember humility and search with an honest desire. Don’t draw premature conclusions about what you are asking and listen and wait for the knowledge to enter your mind. It may take a few times but it will come and the faith expressed by you, with humility, will be rewarded.

“Seek and you will find, ask it will be given you, knock and it will be opened unto you.”

These all apply to our ability to want to know truth and when we find it we have to be honest and accept it or continue in our old ways.

“Know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

Remember truth is knowledge and knowledge can’t be destroyed, you will live with it forever.

credit/Hugh Nibley/

Robert D. Ashford was a Marine during the cold war and is now retired, after 50 years of construction management. He is a keen genealogist and loves humor. He watches the political horizons and likes to write commentary on what’s next.